Morphed Secrets
by nightkitty555
Summary: Subconsciously concealing injuries after a fight prompts the discovery of metamorphmagus abilities in young Harry Potter. However, that ability had been covering up a very big secret for more than eleven years. keywords Severitus / Sevitus. COMPLETE!
1. Chapter 1 Secrets Revealed

Disclaimer: For the whole story, I don't own anything about this story except possibly my own words. I'm not making any profit off of this and never will.

 **Morphed Secrets- Chapter 1- Secrets Revealed**

*****Harry, September 24th, 1991 First Floor Corridor*****

He was such an _idiot_ , getting lost a month into school when everyone else knew their way around perfectly by now. It was just that- all of the corridors started to look the same to him after a while, and the staircases literally _moved_. Students raised in magical homes were so comfortable with the strangest things. The portraits weren't reliable guides either- Harry had tried. Some of them were deliberately unhelpful, and they all seemed to view distance and direction strangely, with their odd ability to travel between frames.

"Where are you going, Potter?" came one of Harry's least favorite voices at Hogwarts. Harry turned around quickly. It was always worse if they came up on your back. _Ugh_ , Malfoy had his goons with him too. Harry should just run. They didn't know enough magic yet to stop him, and he could probably outrun them, at least the big two, like he did with Dudley. Harry took off running only to collapse against the wall moments later.

 _Was that a_ _tickle_ _charm?_ _What kind of attack was that?_ It was effective though.

"I thought Gryffindors weren't supposed to run away from a fight," Draco Malfoy taunted. "And don't you know where you're going by now, Potter? You were just one hallway down away from the dungeons. You know what happens to Gryffindors lost in the dungeons, right?" he taunted, "We don't _ever_ let them get out," he finished, not waiting or expecting a reply. "You think you're so smart for not showing up for our duel, don't you?"

"You didn't show up either," Harry managed to say without laughing, the tickle charm actually becoming painful with his efforts not to laugh. Harry _had_ shown up, and just barely gotten away from getting caught by Filch. Malfoy was the prick who just set Harry up to get in trouble. And Harry couldn't afford to get into big trouble at Hogwarts.

" _And_ you got rewarded for breaking the rules in flying class. First years are never supposed to be on the house teams. While _I_ got detention," the blond boy tried to sneer, but it sounded like a whine.

"Well, everyone saw you flying too. I guess they didn't want to put you on your house team though," Harry muttered, frustrated with the pain building in his abdomen. But he would regret that. Talking back never made the pain stop.

" _Our_ Head of House would never have allowed such a break in tradition. It just isn't done," Draco said defensively but haughtily at the same time. "We could have been friends, you know," the other boy said, releasing the spell at last. Malfoy's two body guards stood by almost lifelessly as the charm faded from Harry's body. He couldn't stand up yet.

Harry had been defeated by a tickle charm of all things. What good was stupid fame? It wasn't like Harry was worth anything or did anything to deserve it. Everyone at Hogwarts might as well learn how worthless he was at everything and leave him alone. Except he was rather good at flying, he tried to remember. So not hopeless at everything.

"Maybe he needs another lesson to not cross the greatest House of Slytherin again. What do you think?" the blond Slytherin turned to his pet bullies, and with that permission, they started in towards Harry.

Harry tried to scramble away, but his midsection ached from holding in the laughter from the tickle charm, and maybe he'd fallen wrong too.

Harry just blocked everything out, even the pain as he struggled to get away from the two larger boys hitting and kicking him. They didn't seem to have as much practice as Dudley, or maybe they just didn't have as much experience with Harry in particular. The two swung wildly and Harry could dodge some of it. But soon he had taken a few rib hits, a definite soon-to-be black eye. Oh, his nose again. Not broken this time, Harry didn't think, at least not yet.

"What is the meaning of this?" came a low but undeniable voice, Harry's _other_ least favorite voice at Hogwarts. Though for just a moment, he was relieved to hear it, before Harry remembered that Snape hated him as much as Malfoy. At least the boys had stopped hitting him for a moment. But Snape would probably tell them they could keep going since it was just Harry.

*****Severus*****

Severus Snape, Potions Master and Head of Slytherin, had been… unsettled to come upon such a scene.

"Potter," Severus snapped, "Where are your Gryffindor lackeys?" Though Severus could not deny that 'lackeys' was a much more appropriate term for the overgrown toddlers that followed young Draco. But Potter was always with at least one of the other little idiots though, wasn't he? The latest Weasley spawn to come to Hogwarts.

Severus wouldn't admit it that it bothered him to see the large buffoons in a physical altercation with the much smaller boy.

The little Malfoy heir had been standing well back with his wand held steady- as if the child knew anything of use to do with it. There's another child that was doomed to be just like his father. Severus hadn't known for years what he was supposed to do there.

"Miss Farley," Severus snapped, spotting one of his prefects. They were only a floor above and not very far from the Slytherin common room after all. The girl really should have been able to stop the fight herself, even if it _was_ only the Potter brat, who likely deserved it. "Escort Mr. Potter to the hospital wing. Ensure that he stays there long enough for Madame Pomfrey to see to him."

"Yes sir," the girl said, rightfully ducking her head in deference or shame, or at least pretending to grant the respect that a professor deserved. Not like the damned Boy Who Lived, Potter's brat, who stared at him, mouth hanging open. What was the boy thinking?

*****Harry*****

The older, Slytherin girl didn't glance at him once as they walked silently to the Hospital Wing. Harry considered just running back to Gryffindor Tower, but he suspected that Professor Snape wasn't someone he should disobey. Though it wasn't like the unfriendly Head of Slytherin would actually _care_ if Harry just walked around with a painful blackened eye. The swelling would just go away soon though, Harry knew. Like all the other marks always had, no evidence left.

"Madame Pomfrey," the girl called as she opened the doors.

"Yes, dear," Madame Pomfrey replied, coming into sight. "What can I help you with?" she said, addressing the Slytherin girl after a brief smile in Harry's direction.

"Potter got himself-" the girl turned back to him, "hurt?" she finished more quietly. "He _was_ hurt just a minute ago. He was all scratched up, bleeding a bit. His eye was swelling too," the girl offered quizzically, staring at Harry. Harry shifted on his feet. He hated being stared at. Everyone was always doing that in the magical world.

"Well, Mr. Potter, let's fix you up before bruises even have a chance to show up, now why don't we?"

The girl was still studying Harry intently. "It was going to be a badly blackened eye, Madame Pomfrey. I didn't think he was going to be able to see out of it just a few minutes ago. He must have _done_ something," she said, but she said it in a way that seemed to indicate that Harry spontaneously healing was a bad thing. If that was what he had done already. Harry had certainly been wishing it away hard enough. It still smarted pretty badly, but Harry wasn't going to say anything that might keep him there longer. Why would people be surprised by magic here? Ron had explained about accidental magic before. That was all it was.

Madame Pomfrey frowned slightly as she ran her wand around Harry's head and bustled off, presumably to fetch some vile tasting potion. Harry wondered how soon he could leave. "Where does it hurt, dear?" she asked upon her return. The Slytherin girl had backed up several steps but hadn't left the room. Harry wished she would.

After the first few spells, Madame Pomfrey's frown grew, "Curious," she mumbled to herself, "The damage is still there, but we can't see it. Do you know why that is, dear?" she asked gently.

"I- really?" Harry asked. "I guess it still hurts a little bit," Harry admitted.

"Have you learned about any concealing spells from anyone, or from a book, Mr. Potter?" Madame Pomfrey said, returning to her businesslike manner.

"No-honest- I just- wanted it to be gone," Harry replied, nervous of the nurse's questions.

To Harry's surprise, the matron smiled, "It might sound like a strange question, but can I ask when was the last time you had your hair cut, Mr. Potter?"

"Aah… About two years ago my aunt cut most of it off," Harry said, startled by the question, "It grew back by the next day though. I didn't know that it was accidental magic then," Harry added feeling foolish.

"Hmm..." Madame Pomfrey nodded, still smiling. "Did you have regular haircuts before that time?"

"I don't think so," Harry replied, "My hair just doesn't grow much. It's pretty stubborn to stay just the way it is," Harry explained, feeling foolish as he did so. Normal people's hair didn't do that, did it? _Was he a freak even among wizards?_

"Miss Farley, thank you for bringing Harry, but I can handle it from here, dear," the kind witch dismissed the girl. Harry liked the matron more now. When the girl was gone, Madame Pomfrey asked, "Have there been times before this where bruises and cuts have disappeared but still hurt?" She was still smiling, looking excited even, so it probably wasn't anything bad.

"Um, I- maybe. From playing outside sometimes I guess. I just thought that I healed quickly, more accidental magic I guess."

"Not quite, Mr. Potter, though I dare say that you would have found healing abilities quite useful if I have already seen you here so soon- which I expect _not_ to continue, young man," Madame Pomfrey said lightly.

"I believe, Mr. Potter, that you are a metamorphmagus. It is a rather rare ability. You would be only the second I have seen, after a young witch who graduated just last June. You remind me a bit of her when I first met the girl. She was clumsy, always getting scraped up and not wanting to come see me. But it's very exciting, really. If you have as much of a knack for the skill as I think, you can learn to change your outward appearance to a very high degree, with no more than a wish. You won't even need a wand."

Harry smiled for the first time in hours. He could learn to change what he looked like. _To not be Harry Potter for a day, or maybe forever._ To not have the stares, the whispers, a past that he didn't even understand. Even Dudley wouldn't know who he was. _That_ could be a type of magic that he could really enjoy.

*****Harry*****

Harry and Ron sat, quietly talking in the squishy armchairs near the fireplace that they favoured when they could grab them. The older students more often had so much work that they preferred the chairs by the long tables. Harry had been explaining to Ron everything that Madame Pomfrey had told him, hoping that the Common Room noise would prevent too many others from listening in too closely.

"So you can change whatever you look like? Can you look like an adult? I bet we could get hold of firewhiskey if we wanted to," Ron said excitedly. "Fred and George haven't even managed that yet," Ron went on, his enthusiasm intimidating Harry a bit, though at least his friend seemed happy.

"That is not a very responsible way to use a very unique ability," a new voice broke in. Hermione Granger. Harry thought that he might privately agree that they didn't need to be trying to get firewhiskey when they were only eleven, but the girl wasn't part of the conversation, so it wasn't really her business.

And she was still talking, "I haven't read anything about metamorphmagus abilities, but if Madame Pomfrey is impressed, it must be very interesting. You're very lucky, Harry. I imagine that there are dozens of useful, productive ways to use the ability. If it is as rare as it sounds to be, you might be able to advance the research in the field with a little help. Of course, the name is enough to tell someone the basics of the ability, metamorph-magus, a shape-changing mage. I will have to see if I can find books in the library about the subject. I can tell you what I find to help you," the girl offered, finally pausing for more than a breath.

"Um, that's okay, Hermione, I'm probably going to have a special teacher to help me. Madame Pomfrey said that she thought the witch she knew would agree. She can change all sorts of things about herself, and she already graduated Hogwarts last year. So… my teacher will probably tell me what I need to do or read." Harry wasn't about to take on even more reading if he didn't have to. The first year work was quite enough on its own.

"You have to take an extra class?" Ron asked incredulously, as if he suddenly saw the down side of all this. "Wait, I know who that is. Tonks! Yeah, she was in Charlie's year. They were friends, though she wasn't in Gryffindor. I met her once or twice when I was a kid. But still, an extra _class_? Will you get graded and everything? On top of all our other work and your quidditch practice?"

"This is something much more important that quidditch, Ronald. Harry has a unique ability that he needs to master," the young witch commented a bit loftily.

"Quidditch is important too. It's a multi-million galleon industry, and flying that good is a rare talent too, especially without much training. Harry can get even better."

"Flying that _well_ , is a rare talent," Hermione corrected, though Harry didn't think Ron caught the grammar correction.

"Yeah, it is, see. And nobody asked you anyway. I'm sure _you'd_ just love to take an extra class, but no one else is like you," Ron said. Harry had to admit that the statement was true, even if it was said a bit harshly.

"I'll be in the library, Harry, if you have any questions," the girl said, stomping out of the Common Room.

Harry sat, feeling uncomfortable for a few moments. "I don't really want an extra class either, but it could be cool learning to hide my scar," Harry commented mildly.

"Hide your scar?! Really? But that's what- I mean, mate, that's one of the things that makes everyone know you're special. Why would you want to get rid of it?" Ron asked, really not seeming to understand.

"It's not something I want to be famous for," Harry insisted, speaking words that he had never said aloud even though he thought them constantly. "I don't _want_ to be famous at all, and certainly not just because my parents died. I'd do anything-" he became quiet, " _Anything_ to not be famous for that. If I could make that not have happened… You're the lucky one, you know, Ron. To have so much family," Harry said, quickly gathering his things and dashing up to their dorm before Ron could think of anything to say.

*****Ron*****

Ron Weasley for the first time considered Harry's point of view more closely than eleven-year-olds are supposed to have to think. Growing up was hard.

*****Harry, October 4th*****

Harry's new teacher wasn't what he expected. She had short, pink, spikey hair and thick-soled, tall boots. The boots probably didn't help her as she nearly tripped twice just walking down the empty corridor from the Great Hall towards the room they were going to practice in.

"So, what I'm thinking is starting with hair and eyes, the easy stuff, and saving bone changes for a bit. The very first day is special though, and _super_ easy. You're lucky that I found a book on all this, and actually took the time to read it, because I just sort of figured this out on my own. The hair and the eyes were no problem for me for as long as I can remember. Had a few accidents when I started messing with bones, but nothing Madame Pomfrey couldn't fix. She taught me a lot too, about anatomy and what I shouldn't try to mess with," the older witch carried on as she conjured two big squishy chairs close together and facing one another. "But like I said, the first day is special. Do you want to guess what we'll do?

"Ah- study books?" Harry guessed, not sure what a first step would be for something that he had no idea how to accomplish any part of, except that he had apparently already been doing it. Harry sat in the chair left for him after Tonks took her seat.

The witch actually laughed, "No, no. The whole point of having me is that you get to skip a lot of the book stuff, at least from the way I see it."

"Well, I don't know then," Harry admitted. How on earth was he supposed to know anything about magic, growing up with the Dursleys, much less about a magic that not even Hermione Granger had heard of?

"We're going to find your base form, what you look like without the unconscious changes you've been making," Tonks explained.

Harry was startled by the idea, "I could be changing myself without even realizing it, you mean?" Harry asked. Well- he had been, but she made it sound like there was more than just hiding some bruises.

"Well, I think we've proved that you have been, what with the lack of haircuts. Your hair's probably supposed to be down to your arse," she teased him. "But it could be more than that- nothing drastic I mean, not without realizing it, I'm sure. People would tell you if you'd always looked one way and then changed into another. Maybe you'll even grow," the older witch offered lightly. Harry knew he was a little small for his age… maybe he was doing that to himself to try to not try to stick out. But he didn't want to be tall like Ron.

"Though that wouldn't really matter, because you can always just make yourself taller all the time like I do," Tonks supplied with a wink, like they shared a secret. "Oh, wait, first," she said, suddenly grabbing Harry's hands before he could pull them away and waving her wand over them, muttering something. She repeated the actions pointing at Harry's feet. Harry was alarmed at first but held still. "For your fingernails and toenails, just in case," she explained. "They can be a bit gross, and you might not like the shock. I didn't bother trimming mine for a year or two before I found this spell, and it was a bad sight when I went back to base form. Gross."

Harry was rather repulsed by the thought, but thanked Tonks all the same. "So, how do I do this?" Harry asked timidly.

"Did Poppy warn you to wear loose clothes just in case? You don't want anything that isn't loose, just in case you grow."

"I've got some big clothes from my cousin," Harry supplied, as he took off his school robe, not mentioning that Madame Pomfrey hadn't said anything about it. It didn't matter because all of Harry's clothes were big on him anyway. No clothing in the Dursley household had ever been bought with a child Harry's size in mind.

"Perfect," the smiling witch supplied as her own robe was thrown carelessly onto the floor, leaving what must have been pajamas. "Big or stretchy clothes are perfect," she said as she hopped around pulling off her large boots, actually startling Harry by falling onto her backside wrenching the shoe off. The strange witch was only momentarily daunted by the fall. From her place on the ground grabbed some fuzzy slippers out of her bag that had been previously slung onto the floor as well. "I have big feet naturally," she explained. "I don't actually have shoes that fit my base form feet."

Harry nodded mutely, wondering if the older witch would fall over as much if she kept her big feet and didn't make herself taller. He made a mental note to not do the same. He didn't mind being short. When he looked up at the woman's face again, she was talking to him.

"Give me your hands again, Harry. The books recommended this way. I won't bite, I promise," she teased.

With only minimal hesitation and blushing, Harry held out his hands to be grasped by the older witch.

"Now, try to _feel_ the magic when I change back to my base form. It's different than changing other times. Though I guess you haven't felt that yet. I learned everything all out of order because I messed with things before I could read, and there wasn't anyone around to teach me, but we're going to try to do this the right way for you. I wonder sometimes if there are a ton of people like us that just never try to change their appearance. Poppy did well to spot you, probably because she would see me so often when I was still here. Ready?" Tonks jumped back to their lesson at hand.

Harry did feel the weirdest twinge of magic as Tonks changed. It was a relaxing, easy feeling. When Harry looked up at her, her face was mostly the same, but her hair was brown now, and fell almost halfway down her torso. She didn't tower over him as much now either. "I haven't cut my hair in a while, I suppose," she laughed, releasing Harry's hands and toying with her own hair for a moment. "Did you notice the feeling?"

"Yeah," Harry muttered. "Relaxing, I guess. It felt… right." Tonks was already back to pink short hair when Harry looked back up at her.

"Okay, once more, and then you try at the same time, okay? Try to notice as many details as you can," she advised as she grabbed his hands again to repeat the process. "It's the same kind of magic that's in you, so it should feel familiar."

This time Harry did notice more, the way the magic moved, settling from her head down, lengthening her hair, changing her- torso, legs shorter, feet bigger. All back to normal. It did feel _right_.

"Yeah, I think I can do that now," Harry said with a growing confidence that he didn't feel about much in the magical world, or the world in general, except for with flying.

"Alright, let's go," Tonks said, grabbing his hands again, looking the way he first met her. "Close your eyes. It might help. Remember to not get caught up thinking about the way you look now."

Harry opened his eyes _knowing_ that he did everything right. Even if it hadn't been for the hair that he could feel getting in his face and a piece trapped under his collar down his back, Harry knew that this was the way he was supposed to look.

Harry felt his new teacher tense up before dropping his hands before Harry even pulled away. "You did great Harry, great. But uh, don't move until I get back, alright? I'll be right back. You did great, really great."

*****Tonks****

 _What the hell was she going to do?_ Should she tell him? She had to, right? She was thinking as her feet quickly led her down to the dungeon. This was _way_ over her head. Merlin, it was Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived. And he seemed like such a sweet kid. This was going to be a nightmare, and she was barely even involved. She picked up her feet, kicked off her slippers, and grabbed them in her hands instead, and ran as well as she could without falling down multiple staircases. She only stumbled a little twice over invisible obstacles.

*****Severus*****

Ungrateful idiots, with script completely illegible even as second years. Did they never pick up a quill when not forced? Would he ever get to leave his office? He could always put it off until the next day, but that wasn't his way of doing work. It wasn't as if he could sleep this early anyway.

Hurried sounds in the hallway had Severus on his feet wand in hand before the door was touched. Who- what- he saw bursting through the door nearly prompted spells firing. _Bellatrix?_ No- still in Azkaban, and this woman was much too young, probably not even as old as Bellatrix had been when she was captured. But she wasn't a student. The young woman looked at him too familiarly with too much relief at finding him. People were never so happy to find _him_.

Severus took a step back and raised his wand more threateningly. It wasn't wise to harm an unarmed young woman in a school, even an unfamiliar one. She did seem distressed, not a likely threat. She was definitely unarmed, no room for a concealed wand in the tight little- _shirt_ , if it could be called that- with little nothings of straps, shamefully revealing for a grown witch, and loose shorts that didn't come halfway to her knees. There was her wand, tucked behind an ear caught half-hidden in a loose mass of brown hair.

"Professor," she sighed, "You have to come with me. I can't- I don't know what to do-"

"And you are?" he questioned cautiously. "Miss Tonks," he concluded, piecing it together. Andromeda Black's daughter… looking so much like her mother. Severus remembered hearing that the witch would be visiting. A danger to all those around her of course. But she was here to- train _Potter_.

"Yes," she huffed. "Now hurry, I told him not to leave, but you never know." Severus was barely restrained enough to not hex the witch as she took the extreme liberty of grabbing his non-wand hand and pulling him around his desk towards the door.

"Miss Tonks, you will explain yourself," Severus snapped, though he strangely didn't resist the movement of the frantic young woman as she led him through the hallway. He even steadied her once when the witch was about to go head first into the ground. He should have just let her fall.

"It's hard to explain," she almost whined, "Harry- Harry Potter. You might have heard that I have started working with him because he's a metamorphmagus."

Of course Severus knew of this latest development. He cringed knowing that it would be that much easier for the boy to cause untold amounts of trouble in the castle. Clearly an even firmer hand would be needed to deal with the child.

"Yes, how lucky he is to be so- gifted," Severus drawled. But against his better judgment Severus began to worry that the brat might have gotten himself in trouble again. It was too soon for another trip to the hospital wing for such a small child. Snape walked slightly faster. "Is Potter in one piece?" he sneered.

"Yes, but he um… looks- different," Tonks- Miss Tonks- managed as they neared the proper classroom. It was on the first floor and not terribly far away, not far at all from where he had seen Potter having the crap beat out of him just days ago, Severus recalled uncomfortably. Why had the witch left the child _alone_? Even if the boy had miraculously not come to harm under her purview, there was no guarantee that he hadn't after she abandoned her post. The child was trouble incarnate.

Severus finally snatched his hand away. "And that is my concern why? If the boy needs medical attention, Madame Pomfrey is far more suited." The young witch was pathetically pleading, so he sighed and allowed himself to be half dragged into the room that Potter would be in.

"Is what I'm thinking possible?" Miss Tonks asked delicately.

When Severus looked around, he wasn't sure if he would breathe again. The boy sat on a chair off to one side of the room, looking down at his feet that didn't quite touch the floor. Until seeing the bright green eyes, he would have sworn that he was looking at a picture. The hair, the forehead, the eyebrows, cheekbone structure, even the nose. The nose bothered Severus most, evidence of a previously broken nose, healed incorrectly years ago, seemingly inherited in the Snape family through the chain of terrible fathers that delivered those breakings to their sons.

"It's not- possible," Snape managed, not taking his eyes off the boy.

"But, I'm guessing that really means yes," the witch pushed before taking a step backwards after his glare.

"Highly unlikely. Much more likely to be a prank by a troublesome student and his _teacher_ who should be old enough to know better, Miss Tonks," Snape said, fuming at the witch, hoping his voice didn't sound frantic. It couldn't be possible. Yes, the timing would almost fit… Yes, the timing would most definitely fit; he would only be lying only to himself if he didn't admit that he had counted the months and days… Halloween wasn't exactly a difficult date to keep track of… but that didn't mean anything. Human gestation tracking wasn't that- precise. It couldn't be possible. Severus had- investigated enough, as difficult as that had been. The boy had looked just like Potter, even as a baby. _Just_ like Potter.

"Don't scare him, Severus," Tonks- Miss Tonks- said gently, grabbing his arm again. For some reason, Severus didn't shake her away yet. "I know you must be hurting. This must be a shock. I didn't know what else to do. I swear on my life as a witch that this is not a joke, Severus- I mean, Professor Snape."

"What's going on?" the smallest voice said, sounding afraid. But the child wasn't actually deaf or stupid. The boy was looking from his metamorphmagus teacher to his potions professor and touching his own now very different nose.

"I don't want to startle you, Harry," Tonks said, stepping away from Severus's side. "I'm going to conjure a mirror. You look great though, Harry. Really cute. You still have your beautiful eyes. You'll be a handsome man one day, you know. Being chased by half the girls in the school, I'd bet," Tonks said soothingly, to distract the boy with babble if anything.

The child stared at his reflection only for a few moments before he nodded. The boy already knew. "Is it true, sir?"

"Mr. Po-" Severus tried. What was he doing? "Young man, it is nearly curfew. You will spend a night in the hospital wing before settling matters in more detail in the morning. Do you understand?"

It was a coward's stalling tactic, nothing more. Even the boy would probably see through it, though he might be just as eager as Severus was for the reprieve. There was nearly an hour before curfew still, and he needed to talk to the boy. Severus just had no earthly idea what to say, so he would rather avoid it. It- didn't seem possible. And even in less strained circumstances, how does one tell an eleven-year-old about sleeping with his mother when she was seeing another man?

How had Severus not _known_ that the child was his all these years? It- almost fit, what with that rushed marriage with Potter she got herself into. But the baby _looked_ like Potter, just like him. And Severus knew that she had been sleeping with Potter. It wasn't like she had been a virgin that night. What were the chances that their one time…?

"Miss Tonks, would you escort Mister Potter to the hospital wing?" Severus continued, trying to maintain his façade. Trying to breathe. "I am sure you remember the way," he said with a light sneer.

Tonks frowned at him, as if trying to guilt him into saying more. It wouldn't work.

"It is possible-" Severus admitted stiffly, not sure how to address the boy, not wanting to say the name 'Potter' that kept flooding his mind, so he just cut his sentence off. "However, I am requesting the evening to sort through matters. You will be fine until then in the hospital wing. Miss Tonks?"

Tonks nodded at him, perhaps almost satisfied before turning and smiling at Harry, "Come on, Harry, I'm sure you could use some nice quiet rest. Madame Pomfrey never asks too many questions unless she has to, and she won't today," Tonks promised.

The child looked quite overwhelmed, mostly staring at Severus and then quickly at the ground. Merlin, the brat must be disgusted. Severus was actually surprised that he hadn't seen hatred in the child's face.

Where was the rage, the revulsion that the greasy git had once had sex with the boy's mother? With Lily. Or- did first years know anything about reproduction? Severus could hardly remember being so young himself, and though he was a Head of House, none of his students would ask him about such things, particularly the smaller ones who were still terrified of him. Severus could only really read confusion in the child's face, but he did not often try to pay much notice to the emotions of children.

 _How could she not have told him?_ To not tell anyone? Severus only vaguely noticed as Tonks picked up the boy's robe and ushered him out the door. Severus was too lost in his own thoughts of very nearly twelve years before, and all of their lives before that point.

 **A/N: I really hope you like my story so far. I love and hope for feedback. For the most part, I'm going to be seeing how canon would be different with these changes and watching events snowball from there, including logical personality changes over time.**

 **Ever since we first met Tonks, I was fascinated with the idea that Harry could be a metamorphmagus because of the hair-regrowing incident, and I have never seen a Severitus story with this premise. I hope it is enjoyable!**


	2. Chapter 2 Delving Deeper

Chapter 2- Delving Deeper

*****Severus *****

Severus was hardly surprised when the door to his personal chambers opened, though he should have been if he didn't feel numb all over. He didn't give the password to anyone. No one but Albus ever came to his quarters, even the old man rarely visited and had to use the floo. Severus could hardly be bothered to rise from his seat and draw his wand, but old memories forced him to. It was fortunate that no one was trying to kill him these days, because he would have been an easy target.

The witch who seemed determined to hound him that day stood there, robe hanging open around the disgraceful sleepwear, or whatever that apparel passed as.

"You know, you might want to change that password," Tonks commented, "'Lily Evans' will be a bit more obvious once the world know that she had your son."

"It was Lily _Potter_ ," he spat, "By the time the boy was born." He had never been so angry with Lily before. She hadn't been perfect; he had simply ignored every flaw since the day he started watching her at age nine.

He had felt no remorse that he had slept with Lily when he knew she was seeing another man, because he had loved her and hated Potter enough not to care. They had both had a few drinks, but not enough to not know what they were doing. They shouldn't have even been at the same party; it wasn't like they ran in the same circles by that point.

For two years, she had hidden his- his _child_ from him, or at least the possibility of the child being his. Perhaps she had been reassured by the child looking like Potter, just as he had been. Maybe she had known that Severus would be as piss-poor of a father as his own had been.

Hadn't he already terrorized the boy for the short month that Severus had known him?

Severus stared at his glass, trying to ignore the uninvited presence in his rooms. The witch seemed grumpy herself, but clearly not put off by his behavior enough to leave. So he sat, simply staring at his half empty glass, already knowing that he wouldn't, couldn't drink around the boy like his father had. Tossing back the last of the glass, he reached straight for the bottle. He was not ready to face any of _that_.

"It is frigid down here. You know there are spells- and fireplaces- to take care of that," the disagreeable woman commented, flopping herself down on his couch. The witch could hardly complain about being cold, with that robe hanging open, disgracefully little clothing underneath. He was too drunk for this, though he'd only had one drink, so that must have only been an excuse.

Severus half stood and shrugged off the cloak that he still wore and tossed it on her, definitely not out of concern for her comfort- or to get the image of his half-dressed former student out of his head. She was still looking the same as she had since earlier in the evening, her base form, he supposed, so different than the rebellious look of her teenage years at the castle. Merlin, but she was still a teenager, wasn't she? Eighteen? Nineteen at oldest?

"Drinking your problems away?" the witch asked, taking a chipper attitude over her previous scowl, and sounding rather annoyingly pleased with herself.

"My problems have not yet begun. Or are your _auror_ skills not sharp enough to tell? The boy is the target of all hosts of evil intents, only waiting to strike. And he has been abused, or at least severely neglected," Severus voiced what he had been thinking from the moment he laid eyes on the changed child. "Poppy should have been able to catch that sooner," he grumbled. _And so should have he_ , Severus thought but did not say.

"I- how do you know?" Tonks asked quietly. Severus understood her uncertainty. It seemed completely impossible that the Boy Who Lived could have grown up anything but a spoiled prince. Severus wasn't sure that he would have ever noticed it with a Potter's face, but he could see it pouring out of _that_ face. The face with the Prince hair and the Snape nose, only Lily's eyes to really set him apart from a miserable Severus Snape at that age. And the fact that he was so undersized. Even though they had been poor, Severus had at least been fed regularly in his childhood.

Snape knocked back another swig from his liquor bottle, delaying the answer that he somehow felt was owed. "As head of Slytherin House, I see more than my share of children from unhappy homes. Cunning is not a quality highly developed in normal eleven-year-olds, but it is common in my house. Perhaps Minerva should examine her students more carefully, though not many- abused children develop significant bravery. The damned boy almost got himself killed over a _Remembrall_ ," Severus said, less significant details falling into place, "So his _bravery_ doubtless stems from a lack of self-worth," Severus remembered, already seeing that activity in a different light.

 _Yes, Minerva should have seen it._ Anyone whom he could blame other than himself was a comforting thought. _He_ couldn't be expected to detect hidden problems with a child not even in his own house, the child of him most hated enemy. _Though he could hardly say that anymore_.

With a sigh and another drink before placing the bottle away from him he said, "And if he has half of my genetics, he should almost certainly be taller than he is at age eleven. He could pass as _eight_ easily. Add that he's clearly underweight, even for his height, and his nose has been broken before and healed slightly off, well before he arrived at Hogwarts. Likely too long ago to be fixed properly now," Severus said, not mentioning that he had experienced the same thing. That _was_ the true Snape nose.

"He has marks, burns on his hands and his arms. He flinches- too easily for such a defiant child. Perhaps- not enough to claim abuse, but there's likely more that he's hiding. If he were one of my first year Slytherins, I would be having Poppy performing a full work up as we speak," Severus admitted the last part without thinking before he mentally winced, finally turning to look at the younger witch, only now beginning to question why he was speaking so freely. It could only be the alcohol. Not that she was easy to speak to.

Tonks took a long swig from _his_ firewiskey bottle that she now held, stolen while he spoke. "And for your _son_? You'll make sure that happens tomorrow?" she prodded.

"Of course," Severus huffed, knowing that he should be hovering over the boy at that moment, insisting that the child sit still for the full exam. Hovering. That was something… a _parent_ did, right? Severus hadn't even spoken to Dumbledore yet, just hidden in his room drinking alone until this blasted witch sought him out. Though Severus found himself not minding her company nearly as much as he would have thought, given his prior exposure to the young woman. Perhaps it helped that there were no substances more dangerous than firewiskey about that could explode if she tripped over herself. He almost couldn't reconcile this witch with being the same person he begrudgingly taught for seven years.

"You're too young to be drinking so much," he said, grabbing his firewhiskey bottle away and taking another large gulp, "Don't you have anywhere else to be?"

"Well, if I have some, maybe you won't be too hung over to talk reasonably with your son tomorrow," Tonks jabbed, reaching over to grab the bottle and take another mouthful of whisky. Snape didn't protest and prevent her as he could have. She didn't sputter over the harsh alcohol. She'd done this for a while, he'd wager.

"I am a potions master. There are cures for that," he grumbled, reaching for his bottle again. What was this _, friendly banter_? Severus Snape didn't _do_ banal conversation, and she was drinking _his_ damn alcohol. Though this bottle had come from the kitchens, and they would always supply him with more.

Tonks half stood up to take another swig out of his reach before handing the liquor back. "Can you make me some too? That would be damned useful."

"And you with your questionable "E" on your potions OWL can't make one yourself.?"

"Hey, I worked damned hard for that, but I'll never be a natural. I'm better off staying away, really. Unkinder classmates speculated that I started sleeping with you to get into the NEWTs class, and kept doing it to keep my grade. So I could be an auror, you know?"

Snape was reduced to sputtering, choking on his drink like a teenager.

"As if _that_ would make you change your policies. I worked for ages preparing for that written portions of the OWL and the NEWT and practiced all the likely practical potions dozens of times each. And I _still_ couldn't get better on the NEWT than an "E" when they like to see "O's" but thank Merlin, the auror selection committee decided that was good enough. And I bet I'm still the reason that you changed the policy to only let in "O's" on OWLs to the NEWTs class the next year, aren't I?"

"Yes," Snape stated simply, though finding himself almost regretful to admit it. "But your effort was- admirable. Most students could get and "O" if they put in so much effort."

Tonks smiled wryly. "Well, I will take that as a compliment on my work ethic in the best way possible, rather than a comment on my starting disadvantage."

"You managed well enough running today," Snape found the will to say, taking another gulp. The bottle was running low, and he was beginning to debate opening another. Finding suddenly that he didn't want this creature sitting before him to leave him in his rooms alone. He must have been farther gone than he thought to entertain that thought. How full had the bottle been when he had started drinking?

Tonks shrugged, "It comes and goes. I can fall on my face in any form though, maybe because I changed so much as a kid that I never learned that well. I did try at Hogwarts, just to stick with one thing. I was my base form for the first two or three years, because my mother suggested it. She said it wasn't wise to stick out."

"And how did that become your multi-colored hair self of later years?" Severus found himself asking, completely unsure why he had asked when he clearly didn't care. Severus Snape was not some therapist.

The witch smiled a bit sadly, "They found out I was a metamorphmagus anyway. I changed sometimes with emotions or even just in my sleep. I didn't have great control. The girls all thought it was cool at first. But I was thirteen the first time that I was accused of changing myself for- ulterior motives- by a girl who had been my friend. But she said I made my chest bigger to steal her boyfriend away. Another girl a few weeks later said that she knew her boyfriend was only interested because she wouldn't put out, and I would have sex with him while looking like _her_. Two girls who had been in my classes for years, one of them a roommate- so much for Hufflepuff loyalty."

Did he _ask_ for this information? Definitely not. And he was not drunk enough to hear this. Why had he not removed her from his quarters yet? But even as he thought that, he popped open the second bottle and took a gulp, the first bottle now empty.

"So, I started shrinking by breasts," she continued, staring at the empty bottle. _Why was she still talking?_ And why was she talking to _him_ of all people? "Of course, this just seemed to validate the girls' opinions that I had made them bigger in the first place. I was still thirteen for Merlin's sake," she said, suddenly snatching the new bottle from him and taking a swallow. Were the witch's eyes wet? Crying was something he couldn't deal with.

"I was fourteen, still a third year when I was first offered money for sex. I heard rumors that my price was anywhere from ten sickles to a hundred galleons. I was offered a hundred once, had the bag full of galleons put in front of me in the middle of the Great Hall. Surely the teachers must have noticed something, but he never got in trouble for it. He told me to make all of his fantasies come true. Almost no one seemed to care that I ran away without saying anything, certainly without saying yes. That was _clearly_ all just for show, and I'd take the money later like the whore I was." She took another drink, though smaller this time, calmer.

"I asked a boy out once, early in fifth year. He was in sixth. He seemed like a sweet boy. He told me that he didn't believe all of the rumors about me, but that he couldn't date me because his mother wouldn't approve. His _mother_. They were all just children." Severus supposed that he was content enough to just let her ramble. At least she wasn't harping on him anymore. He hadn't tried to retrieve the second bottle of firewhiskey, though she hadn't had much of it either.

"I started the short hair rocker look hoping to scare the guys off, I guess. I even started rumors that I was a lesbian, though that didn't help anything except increasing the offers for threesomes. Always offers made by a guy to 'surprise his girlfriend' as if any of them would go for that. What a whore I am, a virgin whore." Severus made an indelicate noise at that.

He did _not_ need to know that much about the witch.

"That's thanks to you, you know. I'm rather glad my first time wasn't against my will at fifteen on the Astronomy Tower. I was so naïve. I actually thought that that one liked me. I thought it was just going to be a picnic."

"Miss Tonks," Severus cut in at last, "You don't-" he wasn't at all sure what to say, "need to share all of your deepest thoughts just because I have foolishly allowed you to become inebriated in my presence."

"Hmmm… not sure if I'm drunk yet. Maybe. I think I just feel like talking. I'm not really a fun drunk. I'm always supposed to be _fun_ ," she carried on. "He's a good kid you know, Harry. And I think you'll learn to show him that you're a good man."

Severus was momentarily too surprised by the change in topic to come up with response. He was too relaxed and too far past tipsy for his own good. That was never acceptable for a spy- or former spy. "Not allowing a young woman to be assaulted is hardly enough to call me a good man."

"I've read all of the post-war trial transcripts, all of them, and watched pensieve recordings of most. I'll admit that I was especially interested in yours. You aren't a monster, not really," the young woman spoke. _What?_ "And it doesn't matter what you used to be. After seeing your son today, I have a pretty sure guess of what made you turn. Voldemort went after the woman you loved, didn't he?" she asked in a tone that indicated that she knew the answer, taking another long drink after she finished.

Severus was so agitated that he didn't even react to the Dark Lord's name. How could she… burst into his quarters and say such things? "After I handed him the information that made her a target in the first place," Severus near roared.

The younger woman was reasonably shocked. Her first logical response of the evening. Now she would know what a monster he was. Severus's mind was racing, calling himself all kinds of an imbecile. Such things were secret for a reason, but the words had been said. And he was in no position to attempt a memory charm in this state. But for some reason he had _wanted_ her to know. No one could, should have this rosy image of him that this witch still held. He didn't deserve it. What was this woman thinking, spending so long in his rooms, drinking his liquor?

Severus snatched the bottle back from her loose grip. She could have dropped it. She would leave now, certainly. No one would stay after that knowledge. She would go straight to the aurors with that information. And he would deserve no less.

"I bet that guilt is a bitch," she stated far too calmly. The witch actually grabbed his bottle away _again_ and put it on a table behind her. She didn't seem quite as affected by the alcohol as she had moments ago. "I strongly suggest you not tell Harry that for a while. You should have his trust first, which will be a hard enough battle as it is, I'd guess."

"And what makes you think that Potter would accept spending any time with me, blood relation or not?" Snape retorted, confused at the witch's calm demeanor. He said the child's name with less than his usual venom. How much hatred in a name could be left? He almost felt guilty towards the elder Potter at some moments. And the child was so small to be eleven.

"Because, if his other family is as bad as you think, he'd probably like to get away from them. Unless you can tell me with a sincere face that you would starve and hit the boy. His hands- felt so rough, not like a kid's should be. And one _was_ burned," she said, reaching around to grab the fire whisky again and take another drink. She didn't even spill it, as Severus was sure for a second that she would. "But I didn't even make the connection until you said something."

"I've only treated him better thus far because they have set that bar ridiculously low. I have given the boy no reason to trust me, no reason not to hate me," Severus said, extending a hand for his liquor again.

The thankless witch actually held the bottle back behind her head and stood, about as stable on her feet as she usually was and declared, "I think you've had enough for tonight. You aren't a rowdy young wizard after all. _I_ on the other hand, can always use the booze. Between you and me, I don't use my feminine whiles to get free liqour very often, well, never really. You can tell that I have such a roaring social life by my willingness to schedule to spend Friday evenings with an eleven-year-old. _And_ I'm an underpaid public servant on top of that."

The witch was actually admitting to planning to steal his booze. "Will you be alright apparating?" he said in spite of himself, physically biting his tongue for letting such a question escape. Why would he care?

"See- you're a good man, concerned for a lady after giving her such a nice parting gift of most of a bottle of fire whiskey. Is your floo connected?" she asked.

"For outgoing travel, yes," Severus said briskly. He wasn't about to let just anyone waltz in. It was keyed to only his magical signature and Dumbledore's office. And the last concession was a condition of his employment, not of his own choosing.

"Well, I'll be off then. You'll need your sleep. And maybe lay off the liquor when you're dealing with your son, eh?" a remark that Severus did not dignify with a response, though he had been thinking nearly exactly that since the first sip that evening. The witch grabbed more than the necessary amount of floo powder, tossed it in and herself after it. She turned back to face him and said her address also louder than necessary, "1312 West Beaks St. E20," and she actually gave him a wink before swirling into nothing in the green flames.

A _wink_? He questioned. _She stole his cloak!_ He hadn't noticed before. Severus Snape had lost a second cloak to the witch. Though she hadn't been in a sound emotional state when he covered her ripped blouse with the first one years ago, and he had had no desire to deal with a distraught teenage girl long enough to get it back. He had been only too happy to pass the girl over to Poppy, even though there was nothing physically wrong with the girl. She would have needed quite a lot of help that he would not have been suitable to provide.

The witch acted so differently now, irritating but strong, and annoyingly correct about everything that she said. Severus wondered if sleep would come at all that night.

*****Severus*****

Severus awoke still half-sitting, fully dressed on his couch, aware that he had been asleep only because of the uncomfortable stiffness in his neck and back. Not that that could be felt over the pounding of his head until he could manage to get down a hangover cure potion. A muscle and tendon relaxing potion would help with the stiffness, so he downed those as well before attempting to process other thoughts, a dangerous liberty that spies never had.

Severus wondered briefly how Tonks- the insufferable witch- was faring without the benefit of a hangover cure potion. For just a moment he considered owling her some as she had joked the night before. He probably owed her in some way for her… actions. But that wasn't Severus Snape. It served the damned woman right for stealing his booze. Tonks. All of their talking. The boy. His- son. Severus was not ready even to think it.

How in Merlin's name could he, Severus Snape, have a child? He was less suited to the job than the average giantess, and they occasionally murdered and ate their young. But they at least usually did a fair parenting job when they weren't hungry. What was he supposed to _do_ with a child? Severus had spent a decade cultivating a teaching persona that would terrify eleven-year-olds into behaving in his classes until they were sixteen or eighteen, whenever he got to be done with them. And now he was _related_ to one of them? To the one he had despised the most?

More troubling still, from the little Severus had seen, was unlikelihood that the boy had a suitable living arrangement before Hogwarts. It might be needed for the child not to return there.

Where did the child even live? Severus had investigated into the child's life when Lily was still alive enough to know that his godparents were Sirius Black and Alice Longbottom. Clearly the boy hadn't been with either of those. And the Potter line had ended, so he couldn't have been raised there.

Muggles, yes, the boy had been raised by the muggles, Petunia Evans and whatever oaf she ended up marrying. Severus had heard blood wards discussed at some point. Petunia Evans, a vile little girl with her jealousy. She was the cause of all his trouble. If she had just raised a happy, well-adjusted child, Severus could just throw money at the boy from afar to assuage his guilt. It would be uncomfortable to be stuck in the same castle as the boy for months, and to teach the child, but now Severus needed to do even more. The boy looked worse than Severus had at that age.

And sitting in his rooms and brooding wasn't going to make the situation any better.

*****Hospital Wing, Hogwarts Castle*****

Severus Snape swept into the Hospital Wing to find it mercifully empty except for the boy and Poppy who seemed to be taking away the remainder of a breakfast tray. Severus had been afraid that the Headmaster, Minerva, and half of Gryffindor would have assembled in protest by now. He still had several unpleasant discussions ahead of him, and still hours before lunch. He had been unable to stomach anything for breakfast in his quarters, but that was not unusual for him.

"Madame Pomfrey," Severus said, addressing the witch properly in from of the boy. "Have you had a chance to perform a medical exam on- your patient?" he said, still not sure what to call the child.

"I don't need an exam- sir. I feel fine. I haven't been hurt in weeks," the insufferably Gryffindor protested. Not wanting to see a healer was always troubling, but not surprising, even with normal children, which Potter most certainly wasn't. The boy spoke as if managing not to be hurt for- Severus recalled, not even two full weeks since the incident with the Slytherin first years- was something of an accomplishment for himself.

Severus was far too tired with too much ahead of him to deal with prepubescent angst. Perhaps the child would understand a deal, "If you behave, you may ask two questions, Po- Harry," Severus tried, saying the boy's name for the first time. It almost physically hurt, and the boy looked even more surprised by the name than he was to use it. "And I will answer them if I do not have good reason not to," he said, giving himself the required Slytherin escape from a situation. The boy stared at him silently, that innocent searching look, and nodded slowly. That was far easier than it would have been with one of his Slytherins. They would have bargained for more of whatever they had been offered to ensure good behavior. Perhaps the child was intelligent or mistrusting enough to know that the exam would just be forced on him anyway. Severus wondered if the boy even expected Severus to keep his promise.

"Madame Pomfrey, he will require a routine full medical exam and historical scan," Severus requested, looking directly into Poppy's eyes. She would know that despite his usage of the word "routine," this was something he only asked to be done on his students when he suspected abuse. Poppy must have suspected the same, because she only nodded and began her bustling around. Poppy had probably gotten a good look at his arms, despite the boy's obvious efforts to hide them.

"I will be looking over your stores and gathering replacements from my own," Severus said stiffly. This was a task that Severus and Poppy had done together before the beginning of term, and would not really need to be done for at least another month, and could probably wait until the winter holidays, thanks to extended shelf life of common potions (some of which were his own enhancements), but Poppy let him escape. Severus couldn't stand there while the scans were recording every moderate or more severe injury that had befallen the boy. And his presence would only serve to upset the boy further.

Poppy came into the supply room for potions after a few minutes. Severus already held potions he knew that she would want for the boy and a few others he would suggest ready to hand to her. "Have you said anything to Albus?" he asked the matron that had known him since he was the boy's age.

Poppy looked at him in her close way, "I thought that was a conversation that might be best suited to _you_ ," Poppy pushed. "However, I imagine he knows by now. From the portraits. For good or ill, I don't believe patient confidentially often extends to the Headmaster for _some people_ ," Severus knew as well as she did that there are two portraits that had frames both in the Hospital Wing and the Headmaster's Office, previous healers who became a Headmaster and a Headmistress in their days. The two busybodies usually arranged to have one present in each location for most hours of the day to report on occurrences in the Hospital Wing, including Severus's visits during his time as a spy during the end of the war.

"I can lessen some of the worst of the marks, but there's only so much I can do on the older ones," Poppy spoke what they both already knew. She hadn't been able to remove all of his years ago. By the time he nodded and looked up, Poppy had taken the potions and briskly returned to her charge.

When Severus had stalled as long as he could stand, by which time Poppy's stock was immaculately ordered more meticulously than his own, Poppy arrived again with the results of the boy's exam.

Severus merely accepted the parchments from the woman, barely glancing at them before returning to the main hospital room to face the boy. The things written did not surprise Severus, and it was nothing that he had not seen before. The list was about as long as was typical with a moderate abuse case, physical to the point where Severus would have felt the need to step into the situation with parents or guardians of one of his students directly. For Slytherin parents, often monitoring charms and threats were enough. With the occasional Death Eater's child from such a home, Severus would paint himself as an ally of the parents but the bearer of the news that by Hogwarts policy, such monitoring would be implemented by the Headmaster's orders. With a glance at the bottom of the list, Severus could at least assure himself that there had been no sexual abuse to go along with the physical manhandling, starvation, and unwritten but inevitable psychological abuse. He didn't want to scare the boy further by examining the list too closely now while in the boy's presence.

"Your questions?" Severus prompted, arms crossed in front of his torso.

The child looked him straight in the eye. Bold. "How do I know that I won't be punished for what I ask?" the boy had the gall to ask. Though given their past history, it was a fair question.

"Because if you ask quickly, I will be kind enough to not count that as your first question," Severus snapped.

Miniature Snape nodded, his expressions looking so different than the young Potter child Severus thought he had known the day before. Still, emotions blatantly written on the different face, "Why do you hate me?" the child asked.

 _Damn_ , Severus knew he probably deserved that and worse. It was clearly an important question to the child. Severus gave himself a minute for the answer. This was perhaps the most important discussion he would ever have with the boy, "Until yesterday evening, you greatly resembled James Potter, whom I had a long and unpleasant history with." Was that enough of an answer? Snape wondered, trying to collect his thoughts. In the last few hours, much of the venom of his hatred of James Potter had ebbed away. How could it not? A small portion of Severus's inner thoughts found the humor of that year and a half, the man raising the child of his enemy, the child of _Severus Snape_ , a man who had slept with the woman James Potter married. But Potter still had her for that time, which Severus never had.

"He and a group of his friends targeted me for numerous of their endeavors during our school years, ranging from small pranks to an attempted murder, though Potter was not behind the latter incidence." _Why did he feel any need to soften the blow on Potter?_

"Did you hate each other because you both loved my mum?" the boy asked quietly, ducking his head as Severus's snapped to him. _The boy was afraid of getting smacked or worse for the question._

"Yes," Severus said, sweeping towards the door. He had answered his two questions and done his part. The child was- intelligent or intuitive enough to jump directly to the most personal question, simply assuming that Severus had hated the boy and… cared for his mother. Something made Severus stop before walking out. "Eat balanced meals, if you are aware of manners enough to do so. Otherwise, I will be forced to write you up a list. Nutritional supplement potions will appear with your morning and evening meal. If you need a _healthy_ snack at any time, I am sure one of the older Weasleys can show you to the way to the kitchens. The elves will be informed that you are allowed so long as you do not confine yourself to sweets," Severus growled, not sure why he mentioned the last bit, except that the boy looked too frail to go even a handful of hours between meals, and even if the boy only wanted sweets, a few sweets wouldn't hurt the child.

Severus was stopped again by the boy's words, "What should I tell people?" Of course, the child would be worried about what all his little friends would say.

"Whatever you like, though they will doubtless learn the truth before the weekend is through. Regardless of whether you take such extreme efforts to cover it again or not," Severus said, finally leaving the room. Poppy would not be proud of him with that answer, he knew, but hadn't the energy to care. Of course the boy would want to hide his true face again. Without more training, though, the boy likely didn't consciously know how. Severus, of course, wouldn't be _hurt_ if the boy made the logical choice to do so. Wouldn't anyone rather be a Potter than a Snape?

One difficult conversation down, many more to go, Snape thought as the door swung open to admit him to the headmaster's office, the gargoyle having already communicated his presence.

"Hello Severus, I wondered when I would be seeing you," the old man said, eyes twinkling in their irritating way. At least he didn't have to explain everything. Maybe Albus would just tell him what to do. That would be easier if the man would give a direct answer.

"What should I do?" Severus asked, the childlike words escaping before he could stop them.

"I do not believe that there is one right answer, my boy," The old man began, "Am I right in saying that you and young Harry intend to acknowledge this discovery?"

Could they do anything else? The boy could learn conceivably learn to go back to looking the way he had before. He would have to be isolated until that point, or they could use complex glamours for a time if it took the boy a while to learn. Only a few people had learned so far, and no one else really _needed_ to know. It wasn't as if either of them were happy about this change. And what would the wizarding world think? They would brand the boy as the next Dark Lord, if they hadn't already.

But the marks- the burns on the child's hands and arms, the ones the boy tried to hide. Could he be so heartless? Where would the child go if Severus didn't claim him? Back to the muggles?

"I already informed the boy that he could inform his friends. I have no doubt that the news has already spread too far to make memory charms viable. And Nymphadora Tonks knows, so she could have told any number of others after leaving the castle yesterday," Severus said, though he doubted that either had told anyone yet.

"Well, I hear from a very caring former Headmistress," Albus nodded at the troublesome portrait, "It appears that Mr. Potter's home life has been unacceptable perhaps even unsafe, and we will need to look for alternative safety measures. You must believe, Severus, that I was completely unaware of the extent of the Dursley's neglect, and they will be reprimanded as such and informed that we will look for alternate means of care for the boy." Severus frowned. Albus was still talking, "I admit that I suspected that they did not really love the boy as they should have, but I thought they at least did not make that dislike so plain," Albus said, quite seriously for the old man.

" _Reprimanded?_ They deserve more than that," Severus sneered. "Have you seen this list?" Severus asked, retrieving the crumpled parchment and shaking it in Albus's face as if the parchment itself were the cause of his problems. "More than half a dozen bones broken over fewer years, none of them properly set. Minor head injuries, and his eye prescription isn't close to accurate! Muggle medicine is far more advanced with that. The child more than likely looked after himself!" Severus fumed, thinking of his own childhood, the times when his mother had been shut off in her own head enough to not protest her son's treatment or her own.

"You care about the boy already," the old man noted with a smile. Severus wondered if Albus had been trying to provoke just that reaction. Albus rarely did anything for only one reason. But it was foolish of a Slytherin to fall for a Gryffindor's manipulations. Albus Dumbledore simply had too many years of practice.

"We can see about other arrangements for Harry as holidays draw closer. Usually children are not permitted to spend summers on Hogwarts grounds, but I believe it was once a common practice for children of our teachers. I suspect he would spend winter holidays here in any event. Perhaps before and during such time, you will find yourself bonding with the boy. I believe it would do you both good. This certainly changes and complicates plans, but it needn't be a bad thing, Severus."

Severus was saved the effort of replying by the increasing noise of a Scottish witch evidently intent on invading the office and not caring who knew.

"Severus Snape," she called before she was even in sight. She opened the office door with no attention to the headmaster. "I was told," the formidable old witch said, looking up and nodding at one of the traitorous paintings, "That I would find you here, and that I should ask you why one of my students was visiting the Hospital Wing last night. Poppy was unusually tight-lipped about the matter when dealing with a student under my direct care. Well Severus, what have you to do with Mr. Potter's latest injury?" she positively bristled. Both she and the Headmaster were watching him now.

"I did not _injure_ any of your students. Your boy has no recent injuries, Minerva, and I take the insinuation seriously. The boy spent the night in the hospital wing after a discovery that I felt would make him uncomfortable returning to his quarters last night," Severus explained. Yes, that was probably his actions in the best possible light. No doubt the story would be spread throughout the castle by noon, if the boy wasn't still hiding somewhere until after then. But at least the old cat would hear his side first.

"I wasn't meaning to imply that you harmed the child personally, Severus. Now what is this discovery?" Minerva prodded, sounding almost apologetic. Severus knew the remorse must be genuine, because the old witch couldn't lie to save her life. That did nothing to improve his mood.

"He- He was beginning his private metamorphmagus training, and it appears that his appearance as James Potter's miniature double was an elaborate effort on his subconscious magic to emulate his father figure, started as early as his infancy," Severus articulated. It was the best explanation he could see.

"Oh," Minerva sighed, depressed looking for a moment, "That must have been a shock for the boy. I suppose his appearance always _was_ a bit extreme. Does he look more like Lily now?" Minerva guessed. Severus remembered how much the older witch had favoured Lily when they were in school.

"He still has her eyes," Severus spoke softly. Merlin this was hard. It might actually be a relief if the whole world knew and he never had to do this again.

"Come on now, my boy. Speak up," Dumbledore, _Albus_ that is, urged. Severus felt like a child being in turn scolded and encouraged by his teachers, not that he had much encouragement as a child to compare it to.

"He looks much more like his father," Snape managed.

Severus had never seen the older witch look so confused, "But he already- Oh… Oh! But… who? No. You? Severus?" the quick witch asked. Severus could see the shock, perhaps even disappointment in her face. She must have been disappointed for her precious Lily, for she never cared for him enough to have disappointment in his actions. She didn't even care when her students were the cause of so much of his pain.

"Yes, I'm sure you are disillusioned over your favourite girl. But it was many years ago, and she never told- me that anything… came of it," he said, not looking at the adults, the _other_ adults, that made him feel like such a child.

"Oh, Severus," the witch in front of him said, putting a hand on his shoulder as if she cared. Severus withdrew away, knowing that he wasn't acting his age. Undaunted, the damned Gryffindor witch put her arms around him. He stood completely still, ignoring the unwanted embrace. "I had thought perhaps, years ago… that you cared for her more than... I am so sorry, Severus. For countless things. There were so many factors. And my duties. I worked so hard to protect young Remus, and was so proud that young Sirius Black seemed-" She didn't say that she was proud that Black hadn't been an evil Slytherin like the rest of his vile family, but she hardly needed to. That was not a conversation Severus had expected or wanted. The witch was still going on, "And I did _ask_ , but Horace said nothing- but I should have- because no one else did," The sentimental fool went on, making less sense with each phrase.

Of course, no one spoke for the weak, half-blood, poor Slytherin child. Horace Slughorn was in fact the least likely to do so despite being Severus's head of house. The man's ambition was funneled into his efforts of grooming powerful children that would prove useful to him in the future. The man started with those that had some sort of power or connections, or at least charisma to begin with. The man had paid very little attention to Severus despite being the most advanced student in any of the man's classes, as Severus was before he was fourteen. If Severus had spent extra care on advancing in the subject to attempt to impress his head of House, well, that was something that no one else in the world knew. It had been something that not even Lily had figured out as he helped her with her own work in the subject.

"I'm so sorry, child," Minerva spoke into his shoulder, startling Severus enough to finally push the woman away. He wasn't sure why he had allowed such treatment of his person to go on for so long. He didn't _need_ comforting. He most certainly did not need a _hug_.

"I am your colleague, Minerva, I am not and never have been a child under your care. However, you should be worried about a child that currently is. I have a copy of his medical scans, which I do not believe you will enjoy," Severus said, thrusting a quickly duplicated copy of the boy's medical parchment. He left the office before the older witch and wizard had a chance to harass him further. Severus still had far too much business to attend to, and perhaps he also just wished to escape.

 **A/N: Thank you everyone so far for reading, favoriting, following, and reviewing. If you're looking for something else to read, I have a few other stories on this site, a time travel friendship/romance centering on Hermione and Remus, and a post-war hmm… re-acquaintance of Hermione and Draco that's on the hurt/comfort/romance spectrum.**

 **2/22/17 I am going through the process of going back and editing old chapters. This is a slower process than I expected, and I still want to move forward in writing and posting new chapters.**


	3. Chapter 3 Adjustments

Chapter 3- Adjustments

*****Severus*****

A brief trip to the kitchens had resolved Severus's problems about the boy's nutrition, and Severus had also made a few preemptive decisions regarding the spare room in his own quarters. A precautionary move only that would likely never be utilized. Severus hadn't allowed his conscious thoughts to stray to where the boy might stay over holidays. The boy would doubtless remain in Gryffindor tower for the winter holidays, so there was no need to really even contemplate this at all. There were months to decide such things, and too many things to do before then.

Severus didn't own a house that he considered fit for human inhabitance. He still owned the home that he grew up in, on Spinner's End, but really only because he never would have been able to sell the decrepit place. And it served him when he wished to flee the castle on occasion, but he spent large periods of time at the castle in his private quarters and even more private potions laboratory, even over the summer break. He could afford another place to live, as he spent little of his salary on personal expenses, but he never found the need to do so. His wizarding relatives, the Princes, had left him a large enough estate that he had sold without ever visiting more than once. He had been so proud of their name as a child, but the only thing that they ever did for him was to die and leave him enough money to cushion a bank account somewhat, fund his mastery research projects and win him some small favor in the Dark Lord's ranks with his gifts of coin, less valuable than his gifts of potions and spell knowledge, but still earning him praise from the vile manipulator.

This silly little shopping trip that he found himself taking now was a completely unnecessary waste of his valuable time, but no one would say he was mistreating the boy. Severus preferred Diagon Alley, fewer memories from his teenage years, perhaps, and it was equally convenient as Hogsmeade with magical transportation.

Not all of the fireplaces in the castle were in that way connected to the Floo Network - it wouldn't do for a homesick child to floo home, so most fireplaces were restricted to fire calling only- but Severus's had incoming and outgoing travel for himself- and anyone else he keyed into the wards, which was no one except the headmaster.

Severus was merely purchasing a few quiet toys suitable for the boy's age, perhaps a wizard's chess set, and a few books that weren't on required reading lists but that Pomona always harped on to be added, especially out of consideration of making transitions easier for muggleborns. Simple magical theory that nearly all of Severus's students would have been taught before they could even read. Leak-proof training quills were added to his bags when Severus thought of the boy's first few horrendous essays. Raised primarily in the muggle world himself, Severus always silently wondered if it wouldn't be best for wizards to just adopt the ball point pen. Or pencils for children- much better for their scrawl than quill and ink. However, it would not be a very wizardly suggestion, so he held those thoughts to himself.

Severus set Madame Malkin with the task of casual clothing and robes suitable for a small child aged ten (anything to not scream his exact purpose), and decided that with some magic the seamstress would come up with something that would fit. And the boy would grow. The witch didn't ask questions, but seemed to know who he was, probably assuming he was getting something for a first year or future Slytherin boy. If the stack that the witch made had a few more shades of green than the child would probably want, and no reds at all, well, the child would live with the witch's selections.

Severus paused outside the quidditch shop. First years were not allowed broomsticks, but they were also not allowed on House teams, a rule already broken for the boy. He would need something better than the same school brooms that the school had owned when Severus was a child if the boy was going to have any chance at all.

And the child did have undeniable talent on a broom, from what Severus had heard, which gawkers could no longer somehow attribute to James Potter. But the boy did need to learn more self-preservation. Severus found himself actually curious- wanting to see the boy fly for himself, and hoping that the metamorphmagus abilities wouldn't affect the boy's balance like it seemed to with the other metamorphmagus they knew. Though, now that he thought about it, Tonks- Miss Tonks- had been on her house team, beater or chaser, he thought. Not that making the Hufflepuff team in anyone's memory had been overly difficult. Still, _she_ would know what to buy for the child, he thought briefly before stopping himself.

Snape tried not to dwell on his actions too much as he bought the boy the highest rated broom the store had in stock, the new Nimbus 2000, glancing over safety measures that the boy would doubtless need. Severus was most certainly _not_ trying to buy the boy off, though that could be an idea with some merit. Gryffindors and children in general were simple creatures, weren't they?

There. Everything was done and he had barely missed lunch. Severus Snape wasn't _avoiding_ the Great Hall of course; his lack of appearance was merely coincidence because of all the new work he had. He wondered if the boy would do so as well. The child was too thin to be skipping meals.

***** Harry*****

Harry sat, wishing that he could conjure a mirror like Tonks had done, if just to reassure himself that he wasn't crazy. He touched his new nose gently. His hair still hung to his waist, oddly organized compared to what he was used to. It was even a bit greasy, even though he washed his old hair the night before and hadn't planned on washing it again for another day or two. Maybe this new hair just wouldn't stay clean. That would explain Snape. The man didn't smell bad, so he probably bathed at least semi-regularly...

Harry's mind zipped around, thinking about everything until his head hurt. _James Potter wasn't his father._ He supposed that that should have been more of a shock, but he hadn't really known anything about the man, other than that he had played quidditch for Gryffindor, and that he had looked like him. Harry hadn't even heard the man's first name before Hagrid told him, though Harry had always known that his surname was Potter. Questions were heavily discouraged in the Dursley house, especially questions like that. His mother's name he had found after searching years ago in some school paperwork. "Lily Evans."

But now he had a- parent somehow… a father. Though it wasn't any better than having the Dursleys, because Snape hated him almost as much as they did. But maybe his professor had been a bit nicer that morning... But of course he _had_ to be with Madame Pomfrey around. Snape would probably knock him around and give him extra work if they were alone, just like his family always had.

Snape had hated him even _before_ he was a burden on the man, and the older wizard admitted it himself, even if he almost sort of apologized. But he had a heart in there, didn't he? He had loved Harry's mum, he said. But that didn't mean anything. After all, the Dursleys loved Dudley, and probably each other. That didn't mean that they cared anything for Harry.

Was he still Harry Potter? Would he be Harry Snape? No, Snape wouldn't want to share his surname with a little kid he didn't even like. So maybe he was just Harry. Maybe he didn't even have another name. Harry felt like he had lost a dead father instead of gaining a living one. Hadn't he just been wishing to not be Harry Potter anymore? But it seemed like the only thing that he still kept besides his eyes was his scar, so Harry couldn't escape everything that came with _that_ , even if he changed the rest of his face. Harry didn't know how to change himself back, and he wasn't even sure he wanted to. It wasn't like he enjoyed being Harry Potter, and that just felt like more of a lie now.

"Harry?" a familiar voice called. Ron had found him somehow. It shouldn't be surprising. He had been hiding all day and would have missed at least one meal by that point, at least two if you counted that Ron hadn't seen him for breakfast- oh, and he'd slept in the Hospital Wing instead of their dormitory, so it must have looked like he just never came back after his lesson. That seemed so long ago. Harry knew that he wasn't supposed to be skipping meals, but he hadn't been able to face the Great Hall. "How do you know he's around here?"

"We have our ways, little brother," came the voice of one of the twins.

"Unless he has moved in the last few minutes," chimed in the other twin. Harry debated running, but just buried his head in his knees. They would find him eventually, and at least it was the Weasleys that had liked him the most. The twins had been great to him when he joined the quidditch team, and Ron was... Maybe not all of them would turn on him... Too late now, he thought as the light from the older boys' wands lit the dark hallway.

"Nice hair, Harry! Hairy Harry!"

"Did Tonks show you how to grow it?"

"Or was it always that long and you kept it hidden?"

"She's a blast, that witch. Should have been a Gryffindor."

The twins chattered on, though Ron hadn't said anything until, "Harry, are you okay? Where did you sleep? I- we were getting worried," he spoke slowly, strangely quiet for his red-headed friend.

"You won't want to see me once you know," Harry mumbled.

"Nah, we'll like you no matter how ugly you are," a twin said.

"More attention for us handsome blokes, you know."

"Come on, Harry, we're friends, you know," came Ron's quiet voice. "We've been through a lot. Like dealing with Malfoy, and the- the third floor dog," Ron lowered to a whisper. The red-headed boy had been a bit quieter since that first really serious discussion they had had, when Harry told Ron that he didn't want to be famous, and that Ron was really the lucky one.

Harry finally lifted his head, and was met by the utterance of "Bloody hell," from Ron, and a few rare moments of complete silence from the twins. "Mate, you look like-"

"Snape," Harry finished quietly. "I know. He knows too. He didn't know before, but Tonks told him and brought him to see me," Harry whispered. "I don't even know who I am," Harry whined quietly, trying not to cry around the other boys. He hadn't cried in years.

"So, this is serious, right? Is Snape- Professor Snape- really your… dad?" Ron asked.

Harry could only manage a nod, looking towards his knees again.

"Brilliant," One of the twins, maybe Fred, congratulated, "We surrender to your greatness, as we will never prank a Slytherin to such a high degree."

"It's not a prank!" Harry broke in almost frantically. "It's true!" he near shouted, admitting it aloud himself.

"Well, of course it's true," said the other twin, George, Harry now thought, "Otherwise, it would hardly change his life very much. But _this_ will change everything for him."

"Yes, just take a moment to appreciate that the Head of Slytherin now has the Gryffindor Golden Boy, for a son. Quite a turn of events, wouldn't you say?"

"Oh yes, and our new star seeker as well. We'll beat Slytherin this year for sure!"

Harry just started shaking his head, trying to block out their words. Snape couldn't ban him from the quidditch team could he? Quidditch and flying were the best things about Hogwarts!

"Harry, maybe this isn't as bad as you think," Ron offered slowly. "I mean, I know he's a git, but maybe he'll be nicer now that he's your dad. To you anyway. I mean, we don't have to trust him. But he is at least kind of nice to the Slytherins, you know- and he'll probably be like that or better to you now too. You don't talk like your aunt and uncle are very… good. Maybe this could be better?" Ron said.

 _Was that true?_ Probably nothing would change too much. Snape couldn't treat him too much worse than the Dursleys did without breaking Hogwarts rules, probably. Harry had looked up all the student treatment rules he could find after his first encounter with Filch and hearing about children hung up in chains, but that hadn't been allowed for ages. Unless there were exceptions about how you could treat family inside the castle.

And during the summers, Snape wouldn't want him anyway, so he would still stay at the Dursleys until he could graduate and get a job, so that would be no different than what he was already stuck with. Though maybe he had enough money in his vault to rent a place just for the summers. Maybe he would be allowed to do that, or maybe he would just do it and not ask.

And, if somehow he did end up staying at Hogwarts, there would be other people around, like Hagrid! Surely Snape couldn't actually do anything too bad to him with other people around. And Snape had already said that he wanted him to eat a lot, so Harry would probably at least get food. Hunger pains could be worse than even a whack from the hot frying pan. And if he wanted Harry to eat, then it seemed like he cared some, even if it was just so Harry would be a better worker. When he hadn't eaten in a day, chores were slow and so hard, but the Dursleys hadn't cared. "You think?" Harry asked at last.

"Yeah. And listen, you're supposed to be at dinner tonight. We were already looking for you, but we ran into Professor McGonagall, and she said some things to tell you that didn't really make sense, but I guess they do now," Ron said, as if he were still piecing through the words himself. Harry panicked again. Surely his Head of House didn't want him anymore. Everyone would know that he should have been in Slytherin! "She said," Ron continued, "That you were to show up at meals, and that you had nothing to be ashamed about. She said that Dumbledore would talk about it tonight, and you shouldn't worry. She wouldn't say anymore but- yeah. So maybe try not to worry about it?"

*****Severus*****

Severus looked at his students, arranged in three rows by their age order by year, from the youngest first years to the two seventh years who had already turned eighteen. He looked especially at his first years who already had reason to dislike the boy, particularly young Malfoy and company. Severus also looked at his quidditch team who likely already knew that they boy was on the Gryffindor team despite all rules and traditions. He would have to watch the quidditch team very closely, or he would have every first year complaining that they should have the right to try out for their team too. And then he would have older students complaining that they could be better if they had been practicing on the team since first year, never mind that second years were hardly ever good enough to make the team either.

"As you all know, there has been an increased number of disorderly altercations this year in Slytherin House, many revolving around Gryffindors, particularly Harry Potter." A few of the older years even dared to snicker, and the little Malfoy brat was positively smug. It was no secret that Severus Snape had taken an instant disliking to Harry Potter. Most of his students thought that they knew enough of his Death Eater past to know why. "I admit to not having spoken much about such incidences, which may have been viewed as tacit agreement to these actions."

This revelation would send veritable waves in the power balance of the house, and Severus was not sure what to expect as a result, but it would have been a terrible breech of Slytherin code if he were to wait for his Slytherins to find out with the rest of the castle. There would need to be a united front, at least outwardly. Severus had every Slytherin student's respect and allegiance for his defense of their house, but they were not Hufflepuffs; at times loyalty only went so far. Severus hoped he could maintain that esteem in the coming days, or his job would become significantly more difficult.

"However, spurred by a new revelation, such incidences will _cease_. It will be revealed tonight a matter of Harry Potter's true heritage, and I expect a united Slytherin House facing the school, as there may be backlash from the other houses. Any student with a problem may come to me directly, understood?" Severus said, receiving nods despite the students having no idea what he was talking about.

Only some of the first years lacked the skill to hide their confusion. All Slytherins had been trained to accept his word similarly to a feared parent since age eleven.

"It appears," Severus finally said, "That Harry Potter should have been raised as my son, understood? By blood, he is mine."

The older students really should have been better at hiding their shock at this revelation, but at least they held their tongues. Severus knew that his snakes, wouldn't say much now. The owlery would be massed with children writing home for instructions from their parents. Yes, most of the _old crowd_ that wasn't in Azkaban, and maybe those that were, would know by the end of the day. The individuals informed would only leak it to the papers themselves if they saw calculated advantage for themselves in doing so. But the old fool would tell all the school soon enough, and Severus wasn't even trying to stop him. Or someone with half a brain would catch sight of the child. Either way, all of wizarding Britain would likely know within 48 hours.

Since his students seemed well enough on their own, Severus took his leave.

*****Harry*****

Harry received a few stares upon entering the hall, but most people didn't really take notice of him he was until he sat down at the Gryffindor table flanked by Ron and the twins. Some students asked the Weasleys who he was, rather than speaking to him directly. His resemblance to Professor Snape was undeniable, and strange, especially at the Gryffindor table.

After a few remarks by the twins to mind their own business, Harry was at least allowed to eat in relative peace. No one wondered where Harry Potter was, or made that connection, Harry guessed, and everyone lost interest once dinner appeared anyway.

Harry couldn't believe that they hadn't figured it out based on who he was sitting with, but Harry supposed it was somewhat hard to believe. Harry barely believed it himself, and he was living it.

Besides, almost nothing could distract a room of student as completely as the delicious Hogwarts food. Harry spent his time trying to stay as invisible as possible, dreading the moment that Dumbledore would stand up as dinner was ending.

"Students, if I may spare a moment from your meal? I know we usually leave speeches for feasting days, but today is somewhat of a special occasion for one of our staff members and a student as well," Dumbledore began, eyes twinkling. "As many would have heard, Mr. Harry Potter has been taking metamorphmagus lessons with one of our favorite alumna, Miss Nymphadora Tonks," Dumbledore explained. Harry heard laughter at the mention of his new teacher for some reason, especially from some older students. He guessed that they must have known her, but why would they be laughing?

Harry ducked his head lower when he spotted the first pointed gaze in his direction. An upper year Gryffindor girl was figuring it out before Dumbledore said anything. More stares started collecting on him after the first.

"And yes, it has resulted in Mr. Potter discovering his biological heritage, as many have surmised, to our own Professor Snape," The old wizard revealed. The noise level stopped being just whispers as students grew in boldness, students at other tables standing up to see him. Except for the Slytherins, Harry noticed, who had not moved during the whole announcement. A few of them even continued to eat their pudding, showing a distinct lack of interest.

*****Severus*****

Severus Snape was irritated behind his cold, calm exterior. The open-mouthed stares by his colleagues would have been enough, without also being accompanied by the horrified looks of a few hundred children. Only his Slytherins maintained any semblance of respect and order. And the boy was doing his best to hide, probably ashamed of this revelation, as anyone would be. Severus was ashamed himself as well, but that didn't mean that the _brat_ could just ignore him! He had spent far too much time that day preparing for the needs of the ungrateful child.

Fortunately, after Albus's little speech, they were quickly released from dinner, and the boy hurried back to his dorm as quickly as possible. His path was cleared by the Weasley twins occasionally shouting out things like, "Oi, terrifying first year wizard coming through, clearly evil based on half of blood" or "Boy Who Lived, Savior of the World, just trying to hide in his room if you stupid lot would get out of the way!" prompting a few actual laughs, even if Severus couldn't help but notice that the child looked uncomfortable.

*****Harry*****

In the morning, Harry resolved to handle this better. He was used to whispers by now, following him his whole life and doubly so after entering the wizarding world, but they had never been- ferocious until the day before, except for with the Slytherin crowd. But at the meal that evening, not all of the stares from the older Gryffindors had been very friendly. But Harry could ignore them.

The Slytherins had actually been very quiet since Dumbledore's announcement. They hadn't really reacted then, and no one from Slytherin had said anything at all to Harry since, even when their paths crossed as Harry was fleeing dinner the night before, not even a word from Malfoy. Harry saw their stares and heard their footsteps following him in the hallways that morning as well, but nothing had happened because of it. If being Snape's… child… meant being left alone by the Slytherins, then that was one benefit at least, even if some Gryffindors were being weird now.

Harry sat, quietly eating his breakfast and grateful that no one had asked any difficult questions. Hermione Granger had completely out of nowhere had given him a _hug_ and then hurried away, not even saying a word- really strange for the talkative girl. It was too quick for Harry to even be bothered. Neville and Seamus hadn't said anything at all the night before, though Harry hadn't given much opportunity, hiding behind his curtains directly after dinner. Dean had murmured something like "Best of luck," so that was somewhat pleasant at least. And of course the Weasleys had been really nice. Ron told him that Percy had said something in the common room after Harry had gone to bed about stopping all the gossiping about him, or he'd have to go get Professor McGonagall, so Harry was grateful to the older Weasley as well.

Harry ate breakfast with his head ducked down low enough that he would probably have a pain in his neck later, so he was caught completely unaware when a large parcel arrived in front of him.

Glad that he had read the card first, since it said not to open the present in front of other students, Harry lifted his odd present away from the table out the door. Ron followed behind him talking, both with meals forgotten. Ron had probably already shoveled enough down his throat already, and Harry had at least eaten about as much as he had the entire day before.

The boys got no further than the hall on the other side of the large door before they tore into the package, two jaws dropping over the new broom. Ron knew more about the specific model and was very impressed, but Harry knew enough on sight that it was a fabulous broom. A _Nimbus 2000_!

*****Severus*****

Severus spent the morning meal still ignoring the stares of his fellow teachers. It only made matters worse that almost all of them had been his own teachers those years ago and would even remind him of it at times. They knew far too much about his school years, a past he tried to divorce himself from completely until it was forced upon him a day and a half ago. Never mind that he had slept perhaps five hours _combined_ in those two nights.

Severus saw the boy leave the Great Hall with a package that could only contain a broom, red-headed lackey in tow. The boys had barely passed the doors of the hall before Severus caught up to them, huddled over the broom. And McGonagall had left her place at the table to follow behind him. Of _course_ it was her.

"Weasley, leave," Severus instructed sharply. Severus was annoyed but somewhat impressed that the red-headed boy, though scared, looked to the boy first, and did not leave until the black-haired child rapidly motioned for him to go. Loyalty in the face of an intimidating force was something the small boy was likely to need in those around him, loathe as Severus was to admit it…

Severus grabbed the damned broom from the boy's hands, trying to look at him as little as possible, and spun to shake it in Minerva's face, "What do you mean by sending this? I am correct to assume that you are responsible for this," he said, not even posing the accusation as a question.

"Young Harry is a superb flyer and needed a good broom to be on our House Team," the woman explained, face set as if ready to fight on this point.

"And you think _I_ am incapable of providing a suitable broom for my-" Severus couldn't come up with a suitable word for the child, "heir?"

Minerva looked surprised by the track that his objection followed. "Now Severus, of course not. I ordered this long before then. It should have arrived two weeks ago to allow Harry more practice with it before his first game, but there was a delay. I would never think such a thing of you," Minerva said, though Severus wasn't sure of that truth, especially when she continued, "But it _has_ been bought already, and it is a very nice broom. I wish you would let him keep it."

Of _course_ the blasted witch had bought the boy a broom, probably with school's funds, a far nicer broom than he suspected she would have bought for a different student in the same position. Though the old hag's love of quidditch knew very few bounds, and was probably part of why she always fawned over the other Potter during their school days.

Well, perhaps it was some sort of justice to have her pay needlessly for a broom that the boy wouldn't even use. "Tell Professor McGonagall thank you. I am sure that your _guests_ will enjoy using such a gift, even if you have no need. Follow me," he prompted, leading the boy to the dungeons. He needed to show the brat his room at some point, and this seemed a good enough time. He heard the boy thanking the old cat profusely before hurrying after his hated professor.

This was supposed to be a better moment, not one when he was irrationally angry with the little brat. Not even his twisted mind could make this the child's fault. The child had been so damned happy with the gift that Severus had snatched from his hands. No, it was not the boy who was so ill-suited to human life that he had yelled at a witch over an expensive gift. Severus could not make it to the dungeons fast enough to suit his wishes, and he knew that the boy was half running to keep up with the longer man's legs.

"Bloodroot," Severus said his new password to his quarters after giving the small boy a chance to catch up. He practically pushed the boy past the other rooms of his quarters and into the child's new room.

The boy looked at everything in the room so quickly, he could easily have given himself a neck injury, but lingered longest on the broom on the small bed, identical to the one Severus still held. Ten seconds later, it was as if the child snapped into a meek little house elf. Where was the brash little Gryffindor? "I don't understand, sir. Why am I here?"

 _Ungrateful little swine_. Severus huffed, "I thought that you might _appreciate_ seeing your new room. You will of course stay in your dormitory unless need arises.

"But- whose stuff is all this?" the child asked, looking at the floor.

"It is in your room, isn't it? One would assume that it is yours," Severus managed. Idiot Gryffindor.

The child shook his head violently. "No it isn't. I have never bought anything like these things, and I didn't take them," the child insisted.

"I _bought_ them for you yesterday, you thick-headed child," Severus huffed. Insulting the boy aloud was to be avoided, probably damaging to the child, but such changes were… difficult, and it was mild compared to all that he thought about the boy.

"Why?" the boy prompted.

"It seemed- appropriate, given our new discovery," Severus stated.

That was evidently enough for the boy. A large smile spread across the little blighter's face, and he actually looked somewhat… endearing. Wide grin and sparkling eyes, foreign on the face so similar to Severus's childhood face except for those eyes. And the child's teeth were mostly straight, straighter than Severus's by far anyway. Still, Severus would not have believed that a child that looked so much like him could be considered "cute."

"And the broom on the bed?" the child asked.

"Yours," Severus said, thrusting the other broom that he had in a corner, not as gently as such an expensive gift should have been. "And now you have a spare for a friend to borrow. Perhaps Mr. Weasley on occasion, _if_ his parents are willing to allow the liability of a child flying unsupervised. I will assume by your making the house team that you are worthy of such liberty, but you should not disregard your life in reckless stunts that make me doubt otherwise, or you will be only flying with a qualified mediwizard watching, understood?" Merlin, he actually sounded _worried_ for the child, which was not… the message he was trying to convey. It was merely that the child had nearly killed himself catching a child's trinket, so the boy obviously needed the chastisement and better guidance.

"Thank you," the child said, shifting on his feet but meeting the eyes of the older, much taller wizard. "Can I go fly now?"

"That seems appropriate," Severus decided on, not at all sorry when Harry, the boy, grabbed the broom from his bed and dashed out of the room. "Have your little friend write to his parents before he touches the _spare_ broom. You may retrieve it when you hear word. I will not change my quarters password without informing you, though I expect that not to be abused," he called at the boy. There would be hell to pay if little monsters like the Weasley twins gained access to his quarters, but he truly didn't expect it of the boy.

*****Harry*****

Ron waved his arms when Harry came into sight, "Hey, I was really worried, mate, but he let you keep the broom? Even to fly against _Slytherin_?"

"It's not the same broom McGonagall got me," Harry said in a rush, then went on to explain. " _He_ bought me a Nimbus 2000."

"Blimey! Snape? I mean, Professor Snape? I figured now that he's your dad, I should call him that. Wouldn't want to make him mad at you for it or something. But _wow_ , buying you a _broom_? And he just found out too, so he must have bought that fast."

"You've got to owl your parents, ask if you can ride it, the spare one from McGonagall, I mean, without being watched, and then he said you could whenever!" Harry exclaimed.

The taller boy was wide-eyed, "Really? Snape said that? Professor Snape, I mean. He mentioned me personally? You get to keep _both_ brooms, and I can ride one?"

"Well, I don't know if he'd want you to ride the one he bought me…" Harry admitted, but didn't want to anger his friend or his… professor.

"That's fine! Way better than fine. _Bloody hell_ , a Nimbus 2000! That's so much better than the twins' brooms! It's better than Charlie's even!"

"So, I'm going to go fly…" Harry said, exited but nervous for his friend's reaction.

"Yeah, I'll meet you out there soon, yeah? Just to watch. After I go write to Dad- he's generally more likely to say yes to things. But maybe Mum would too because it's about you. I should probably write to them anyway. Not sure if someone's told them about S- Professor Snape and all. I'm sure they'll be happy now, with the broom and all. I mean, he _can't_ be that bad after that. And he's your dad," Ron said, running to the staircases.

*****Severus*****

Severus paced the front of his class of first year Slytherins and Gryffindors, not at all sure what behavior was safest to display. Abject hatred to the boy was not advisable, but with a dozen little snakes in the room, favoring the child was perhaps not best either. And there was his own discomfort with the entire situation.

"Your instructions are on the board. Gather your ingredients and prepare your caldrons, but do not begin until my word," he ordered, sending the students into a small clamor for the student ingredients cabinet for those ingredients that would not be among their personal supplies. Allowing first years to brew was potentially dangerous any day, even with the mild ingredients that they used. He could not afford to not be totally focused on the situation.

Severus took to his preferred method of instruction, shouting out questions at the little urchins. Perhaps not the best tactic, but they needed to learn to deal with it.

As per usual, Hermione Granger was the only one with anything to respond with, which would be less annoying if it weren't for the girl's superiority yet defensive attitude. When he would reframe from calling on her long enough, she would at times take matters upon herself to supply the answer anyway. "What is the purpose of horned slugs in your potion to cure boils?" Severus asked.

If the students had read to the end of the chapter before class, they would know the answer. All of the children treated his class like it was a muggle cooking lesson where they could get by with simply following instructions as they went along. His younger Slytherins were even worse than the other houses, knowing that he would not humiliate them in public. By their later years, the children would learn that his private house punishments for laziness were not worth the few afternoons of skipped reading assignments.

She began, "There are actually differing opinions on-". Hermione Granger. She was long-winded enough that he could stop her before she actually reached a coherent answer. Severus would never admit that her essays were insightful for an eleven-year-old. However, they would be more impressive if condensed into fewer words.

"Miss Granger, I do not remember calling on you. Hand down! Five points from Gryffindor. Sit on that hand if you have to. Flailing your arm around does not give you permission to speak before called upon. You have reached your answering allotment for the next week. We are already more than aware that you know the answers. Once more, and it will be a ban for the term," he snapped. If all the class depended on the insufferable child to answer questions in class, they would not feel the need to come prepared themselves.

No one was more surprised than Severus's when the boy's hand slowly rose. Severus could only manage a nod in acknowledgement as his near-miniature supplied the correct answer. "The slugs are used for the slime consistency that bonds to the boils, sir," the child said timidly.

"Acceptable," Severus managed. The way the child smiled up at him, one would have thought that he had given the child a kitten or- whatever else children adored. "Three points to Gryffindor," He said, spinning on his heel, completely unwilling to look at the child after awarding the meager points.

Severus showed an impassive face to the Slytherin side of the room, ensuring that there would be no comments from those quarters. The Gryffindor's whispered, but nothing distinguishable even to Severus's sharp ears.

If Severus avoided the boy for the rest of class more than usual, no one was likely to notice. If they weren't first years, he would have secluded himself behind his desk, but the chances of explosion were too great. Longbottom was still in the class, after all, as were young Malfoy's oaf bodyguards, no more intelligent than their Death Eater fathers. Damned pureblood matchmaking encouraging even the dimmest specimens to reproduce if they were of "pure" enough blood.

Severus couldn't honestly hold the same prejudice against the Longbottom parents, pureblood though they were. No, Severus had far more turbulent and guilty prejudice against that boy, namely that Neville Longbottom was alive and without a scar on his forehead, and that his parents had survived that Halloween night, even if they hadn't fared well the next day after the Dark Lord's defeat. But Severus should work on ignoring that past hurt, he thought, sweeping into the supply cupboards for no explainable reason and hoping that Granger and Draco could keep their friends' potions from exploding.

At least Severus hadn't heard of any siblings of the Slytherin dunderheads that would be arriving in future years. And he had heard that there was only one more Weasley.

Severus Snape exited the potions supply cupboards with just enough time to dismiss the students standing awkwardly by their completed and bottled potions. He managed what he hoped was a decent nod to his veritable clone who had produced a respectable enough potion, likely in the top quarter of the class or so. Not even Longbottom's potion was poor enough to need vanishing. Perhaps staying away from the children was actually best, Severus mused as he sent them scampering off, a thought that made him feel no better over his mediocre teaching past.

*****Harry*****

The two young Gryffindors walked a safe distance out of the dungeons to find a secluded spot.

"Sn- Professor Snape giving points to a Gryffindor! Mate, I wouldn't have believed it a week ago," Ron whistled.

"He still deducted points from Hermione," Harry pointed out.

"Yeah, but she was speaking without being called on, and know-it-alls probably get on his nerves. But mate, I think he was really impressed that you knew the answer. I bet I'd study harder too if he was my dad- don't tell my mum that though, as she thinks I'm already doing my best, and it's not like I'm not trying at all…" Ron chattered.

Harry walked off with his friend down the halls, not garnering as many whispers as he had a few days ago. There had still been nothing at all from the Slytherins. Maybe life didn't have to be so complicated.

 **A/N: 2/22/17 In going back and editing, I'm seeing how I really didn't have my style worked out at the time. It would switch character perspective randomly, and I'm hoping it's better to keep that separate, as I'm trying to make it now. Please review and let me know what you think, especially if you stated reading my story recently. I hope there is some point in going back and making the early chapters better.**


	4. Chapter 4 Spooky Discoveries

Morphed Secrets- Chapter 4- Spooky Discoveries

*****Severus*****

Halloween, Severus's least favorite day of the year, had gone further to hell when damned Quirrell came screaming about that troll. What the hell was wrong with him? Clearly he was an incompetent fool, not even suited to the laughable Muggle Studies course he previously taught, and much less equipped to deal with potential danger or teaching children defense.

It was a slap in his face that the buffoon had been granted the position over Severus, though Severus hadn't cared about the position in years. What kind of Defense Against the Dark Arts professor wouldn't just go handle the damned troll himself? Or Quirrell could have at least send word in some way besides coming himself and fainting like the incompetent he was.

And then he had considered that perhaps it was deviousness rather than incompetence. The logical path was for Severus to check on the stone, making sure the defenses had not been breached, a poor idea as it turned out… and had a leg wound to prove it.

The dog bloody well hadn't been bothered. Severus didn't know how anyone could get past the thing, at least while leaving the monster intact, he thought uncharitably. A few blasting charms would have helped. Since the only blood he encountered during the endeavor was his own, Severus was assured that nothing else had crossed the door.

However, Severus did chance upon Quirinus, confirming his suspicions. A few pointed instructions insured that the spineless man would follow Severus away from the well-guarded place. After all, surely a troll in the castle was a problem for the _Defense_ teacher to address, he pointed out, and Quirinus could hardly dispute that.

When the first mutterings from the paintings reached him, Severus took up a run, despite his throbbing leg and Quirrell still to deal with further. The portraits said that three first years had encountered the troll. Severus didn't need any second guesses to feel dreadfully confident that he knew who at least one of those first years would be.

Severus arrived in time to see the three children unharmed, next to an impressively unconscious mountain troll, a dozen feet tall at least. He stared at the beast as he heard the Granger girl spout a story about taking on the troll herself that was far too stupid on her part to be true. The little do-gooder would not have so blatantly broken the rules for no reason. No, that was the role of the two boys present. Severus almost couldn't believe that the boys were actually being rewarded for risking their necks. But he could believe it, really. Rash Gryffindors, all of them. Gryffindors were no different at eleven than seventy or a hundred and fifty for the old teachers that should have known better.

"Come with me," Severus instructed his miniature.

Both the Weasley and the Granger child looked like they would protest him taking the boy away, but the small child, so tiny next to the mountain troll, waved them off and followed Severus out the door, barely raising his eyes from the floor as they walked.

"You are- unharmed?" Severus started. He wanted to scream, berate the boy for scaring him so badly. But the boy had known that treatment all his life, it seemed, yelled at or worse, beaten. Different measures must be taken, he thought, using their mostly silent walk to the dungeons to plan.

"Yes, sir," Harry muttered.

When they arrived in his rooms, Severus sat on his sofa and indicated the arm chair for the child, "If you were faced with the same situation again, would you act any differently? Honestly now."

"I don't know sir," the child said quickly, terrified at his small defiance, "What could I have done? I couldn't just leave her there. I thought about getting help when I saw the troll- I really did, but it was after her and it was too late."

Severus sighed. The boy was honest at least. "There is usually action that can be taken before the situation escalates. Tell me, how did you know that Miss Granger would be hiding in a such a place, and why was she there rather than at the feast with the rest of the students?"

"Someone- someone told me that she had been in there all day um… crying after- someone said something mean to her."

"So," Severus deduced, "You said something to hurt her feelings and felt guilty," he said, probably badly concealing the emotions in his voice, thinking of the last time that he hurt a female classmate of his own. Oh, how things could have been different. He wouldn't have spent eleven years away from this child. Severus blinked, surprised that not being present for the child was the first result of that day that came to his mind. Guilt was a powerful motivator, surely.

So, if he was upset about missing the last eleven years, and terrified about the child's life being in danger, he should do something to help the boy now. There was no way that these were the thoughts of Severus Snape…

Severus almost missed the child's protests of, "No, I wouldn't do that- I- know what it's like to not have friends."

"No, of course," yes, Severus had been seeing lately that the boy was kinder at eleven than Severus had been at any age, "Then I suppose it was Mr. Weasley, but I do not really need to know. You will be nice to the girl from now on, yes? Give her the chance to be your friend."

At that advice, the shock on the boy's face was palpable. "I will sir. I already was going to. She was really nice to try to take the blame. It wasn't really her fault, but I guess you knew that. You won't be mad at her?" Harry asked, big green eyes slightly wet.

"No, child. All she did as far as I can tell was miss a dinner, and she seems to eat nutritiously enough to make up for it. She should probably be told that she should not have to lie or go against her beliefs to make real friends, but _I_ am certainly not the one to talk to a first year Gryffindor girl about making friends," Severus sighed.

"What about Ron?" Harry asked. Harry. Harry wasn't a bad name. The boy could have been named worse.

"Yes, he should learn the same lesson that you will. I should, perhaps tell his parents," he said, and noted the child's horror.

Severus smiled, "I will give him that option, to have me tell his parents or to serve the same punishment as you."

"What is that?" Harry asked nervously.

"We're not there yet. You still do not believe that you have done anything incorrectly. Thus far you have only proven that you value your life as equal or lesser than your classmates. Which is a problem, but not one I will address at this time. Now, what did you do when you found that there was a troll loose in the castle and one of your classmates was not accounted for?"

The boy looked guilty, perhaps finally realizing his mistake. "I went to find Hermione."

"Did you think that you were better equipped to fight a troll than your prefects or teachers?" Severus nudged, feeling that the child deserved to squirm a while, and fighting down his own fear-ridden anger. The boy could have been _killed_. He could have died that easily, so soon after- everything that Severus had not handled as well as he could have.

"No- I just didn't think- much at all, I suppose," the child admitted.

"No. You didn't think, and acknowledging that is the first step. Lines then, three hundred should suffice," Severus said suddenly with a flick of his wand, bringing a piece of paper and magically writing the first line on the page. Severus handed it to Harry, "Read the line."

"My life has value. I will stop to think and exhaust all possibilities before blindly throwing my life away," the boy read, looking up at him curiously.

"And, I am taking those five points away from you. Not," he said quickly, "As further punishment, strictly speaking, but because you never should have been awarded house points for putting your life in danger when there were _many_ safer alternatives. Understood?" There, he had been completely restrained. He hadn't hit the child, or done anything more than another teacher should have done, really.

"Yes sir," Harry said, smiling his- endearing smile again.

"And I will hold Mr. Weasley back after our next class to give him the same instructions, or I can speak to his parents over the matter."

"Yes sir."

"Now, run back to your common room. We will have a better visit, and perhaps a tour of sorts on a happier occasion. You didn't stay very long on your last visit either. And a game of chess sometime, I think," Severus said, thinking of another little plan. "And after both of you have turned in your lines," Severus said, because he was certain what the Weasley boy would choose, "we can speak again about your spare broom, yes?"

*****Severus*****

"Class dismissed. Mr. Weasley, come see me now," Severus stated, sure that the boy would know what was coming. He noted that the red head shared glances with the Granger girl as well as Harry. Harry had slipped his lines in with the homework assignment collected that morning. The youngest Weasley male stood before him, head held higher than Severus would have thought. Then again, _this_ child had likely never suffered undeserved or extreme punishments, and had never truly feared adults.

"I assume you have been told your options?" Severus asked the child.

"Yes sir. I have my lines here," the child said, quickly holding out a piece of rolled parchment. "I hope it's okay that I did the same line as Harry. I thought maybe- I thought I needed to learn the same lesson."

Severus glanced at the sheet before nodding, "And I gather that there is a fresh start with Miss Granger?" he asked, conversation going so easily. Perhaps this particular Weasley was not as painfully unpleasant as expected.

"Yes sir," the young boy nodded. "I- I was wrong and I didn't mean to make her cry. I even told her so myself, and then I think she cried again, but not sad crying, I think- I didn't see, but I don't think she's mad at me anymore," the child finished.

"And your five points are being removed because it is improper to take such risks, especially blindly without pursuing other options first?"

"Yes sir," the child chimed again.

"Have you played much chess, Mr. Weasley?" Severus tried, taking a different tactic.

The child's eyes lit up, "Yes, all the time. I'm pretty good, really."

"So, if you maneuvered your army into a threatening position, what would you think of a player that sent a pawn carelessly into danger, when the threat could have easily been removed by say, a bishop, without even placing the bishop in peril?"

"I wouldn't think much of them, I suppose," the child admitted, before his eyes widened and he caught onto the purpose of the chastisement. "That's a really good- um comparison sir. You're a bishop then?"

"Run off before you are late for your next class," Severus admonished.

"Thank you," the child said softly, though backing away from the desk, "I got the idea that Harry didn't have much good stuff in his life before coming here. And those lines were good ones that meant something, not just punishment. I- we're both really sorry," the child said before taking off out the door, saving Severus from having to respond.

*****Harry*****

Harry stood at the entrance to… Professor Snape's quarters, especially nervous after his last visit there, wondering if he should supply the password he had been given and walk in, ask the portrait to fetch the man, or stand there stupidly waiting for him to arrive or leave his rooms. He might not even be in there. Harry had no idea where the man might spend his time after classes before dinner. But he had sworn to Ron that he would try to pick up the spare Nimbus today, since it had been a week since they were last in trouble, and Ron had received a very long message from his parents that did include their permission, and quite a bit of words worrying about Harry. Not a word about the troll though, so they must not have been told. Ron had even offered to come with Harry, but Harry though that… Professor Snape might be happier without seeing any of Harry's friends anywhere near his quarters.

"Can you- get Professor Snape for me?" Harry asked the portrait politely despite his nerves. The portrait of a disgruntled middle-aged witch in a really old-fashioned robe stared at him silently, almost still enough to be a muggle portrait except for a few huffs and blinks. "Blood-root?" Harry said, finally. The portrait door did swing open to allow him in.

"Sir?" Harry called out, unwilling to even take a step inside.

The tall figure appeared, somewhat less imposing without his stuffy teacher's garb, but in a jumper and slacks, though both were still black.

"Don't gawp and leave the door open. I would have changed the password if I had been against your using of it, he said, whirling around. Harry found himself inside with the portrait door closed behind him.

"The portrait wouldn't tell you I was here or talk to me," Harry said the first words that came to him.

"Salazar's first wife, Lady Slytherin," Snape said as if that was an explanation. After a pause he continued, "The original portrait painted near the end of her lifetime but animated far after it, brilliantly but imperfectly. She cannot speak or leave her frame, nor can the other portraits enter hers, but she can function as a doorway. It's just as well; from all accounts she was not very pleasant by anyone's estimation except for Slytherin's himself."

"His first wife?" Harry couldn't stop himself from asking, "So he had a second?"

"Lady Slytherin had been from all appearances barren for many years before finally conceiving a child. However, from the most reliable records, neither mother nor child survived the birth. Salazar remarried another, much younger witch years later for the purpose of having a son, due to the importance in the society of having an heir. The first child was a male, and they had no others. He likely didn't much care for the witch so much his junior. Not much is known about her except that she was a pureblood witch who had been his student in his house before he left the castle. They married shortly after her graduation, which would have made her approximately fifteen years old, unprofessional but deemed not scandalous at the time, as witches married as young as twelve."

Harry stood silently, wondering if those facts were in Hogwarts, A History that Hermione would go on about, or if Binn's lectures could be as interesting if Harry gave them a chance. Mostly though, he was wondering if Snape had ever wanted an heir, especially now. He'd called Harry that, to McGonagall, and it sounded almost as good to Harry as being called a son.

"Why did he leave the castle?" Harry persisted, relating so much to that story in the moment, even if his life wasn't really anything like that.

"It is said that he protested the allowance of muggleborn witches and wizards into the castle, and left when the other three founders would not agree to disallow them entrance," Snape said, seeming more tired than he had been before.

"My mother was a muggleborn," Harry said, the fact seeming too important to ignore, but hoping that he wasn't pushing his temperamental professor.

"She was," Snape said calmly, though his eyes held some rather unpleasant emotion. "If you are insinuating that being the Head of Slytherin House means that I share all of the opinions of a man dead for nearly a thousand years, you are mistaken," the man said. "Nor is that true of all who are sorted into the house. It is also worth remembering that those biases can exist in other houses at times."

"I didn't mean..." Harry said before he stopped, not even sure how to say what he didn't mean. He mostly didn't want his…. Professor to be mad at him.

"It doesn't matter," The older wizard supplied. "You are an inquisitive child and I endeavor to not needlessly stifle desire to learn. You will doubtless require quite a bit of education that is not strictly speaking in any class curriculum. A tour of my quarters then? Seems appropriate given your ability to enter at will," he offered, but it wasn't really a question.

"How do your students get you if they can't talk to your portrait?" Harry asked.

The tall man raised an eye brow, "Do you know the way to Professor McGonagall's quarters?"

"No," Harry admitted, feeling foolish. Where his Head of House lived had never even come up.

"No, you wouldn't. A student has not entered my quarters before, and I doubt that any have entered Professor McGonagall's. Prefects have ways to contact us, including an augmented floo where they can speak to but not access my study. Head Boys and Girls usually try to master a Patronus charm for an additional means of communication, though not all are successful. House Elves can always find us if the need is dire, and prefects have permission to call them, though the privilege can be revoked if abused." Snape explained, making little sense to Harry.

Harry hesitated before asking any more questions about the nonsense that Snape just spoke, still wondering that questions were seemingly encouraged by the gruff man. He was pretty sure that he wouldn't receive a clouting for asking anyway.

"What did you not understand, b- child?" Snape asked.

"Ah- talking by floos, patronus, and house elves," Harry recited quickly, hating to admit how much he didn't know.

The man sighed. "I shouldn't be surprised, raised by Petunia after all. Sit," he said, indicating. Harry began debating if he would rather hear about the magical communication or about however much the professor knew about his aunt or how he did. That wasn't necessarily the type of question that would be as readily answered though, Harry thought.

Harry sat in the indicated armchair, and Snape sat on the sofa.

"The Floo Network, f-l-o-o, not f-l-u-e, is a connection of magical fireplaces regulated by a division of the Ministry. Complete transportation from one place to another is most common, but can be limited, as it is in the castle. Floo powder, which is in the little bag by the fireplace, is needed for such travel, and you will not try it on your own. Sticking one's head in an active floo will cause only your head to appear at the destination for communication without major security breach, so it is allowed in the castle. However, Head of Houses' floos are set in such a way that students could speak without being able to see inside the room," Snape explained.

"Patronus charms," He continued, "Are a very advanced piece of magic used generally as protection against certain dark creatures, but can also be utilized for communication when the need arises. I would wager that none of your year in Gryffindor have heard of such a charm, even Miss Granger, so you should not feel behind in that way.

"House elves," The man sighed, "Are more difficult to explain. They amount to slaves, more or less, though they are extraordinarily powerful creatures when they wish to use their talents for more than cleaning and the like. They are short, somewhat resembling goblins, which you would have met?" Snape asked, waiting for Harry's nod before continuing. "It does not sit well with muggle sensibilities that the castle is more or less kept running by slaves, and it is not mentioned around the castle very often, perhaps for that reason. The only real defense of the practice is that they are only happy with their work and as a rule would typically rather die than be set free. They are well respected and well treated by the Hogwarts staff, though that is not the case in all wizarding families that might own them. Shall we continue with our tour?" The professor asked.

"I- yes sir. And Ron received word from his parents that he could ride the broom. Whenever you are ready of course. They thank you very much," Harry added, hoping it sounded respectful. He and Ron had already been talking about whether or not they should let another Gryffindor on the team use it for practice and games, but no one on the team, not even the twins, had mentioned it.

" You may gather it at the end of your visit," he said and indicated the room they were standing in. "The study, or lounge, you are- welcome in, so long as you have no ulterior purposes. If you do decide to focus on scholarly efforts, you may ask about any of the books in the room, though many would not be suitable for a number of years, and most are not to leave these rooms, or I will be aware. The rooms on the left have been converted into connecting supply closets and my personal lab. Perhaps- when you are a bit older they may be of more interest. To the center, my rooms, which include my bedroom, a private bath, and a smaller study that I seldom use. And now, your room, as you have seen before, is to the right. If you are in need of a- place apart from the masses of the castle, it is yours, though your primary residence will remain in your dormitory, as is- customary for professors'- descendants, though that has not been relevant for a number of years. Would you like to see the lab.

"Yes, sir," Harry answered.

"Caldrons, ingredients, notes from my personal research, when I have times for such endeavors," he pointed out. It did look very nice, Harry thought.

"What about the animals?" Harry asked, indicating the cages that seemed to contain primarily different types of rodents, but Harry could see an elegant striped snake.

"They are- assistants in my experiments, at times providers of ingredients and test subjects in the strictest of terms, but they are respected and treated carefully, only utilized in final stages of testing when success is relatively certain, and only in those where the species crossover is likely to be minimal. And certainly not test subjects of anything made by a student. They, however, are not pets."

While Snape talked, Harry moved closer to the very pretty snake and tried to get its attention to see if it talked like the one in the zoo.

" _Is he nice to you?"_ Harry asked the snake quietly.

The snake was focused only on him now, " _Yes, strange speaker, I am well cared for."_

" _I'm Harry, who are you?"_

" _I cannot say it, but it is the same name as the man in the picture,"_

Harry craned his neck around and found a non-moving portrait that was very helpfully labeled "Salazar Slytherin," _typical_ , he thought.

" _Does he really do experiments on you?"_ Harry asked.

" _No, only on the squeaking food. I do not usually get to eat those ones afterwards."_

 _*****Severys*****_

"Are you listening?" Severus asked, rising tension. At least the boy didn't seem repelled by snakes, but he was highly distractible. The hissing and tapping the glass seemed more likely behavior for a boy younger than eleven.

The boy actually _giggled_ and uttered, "I'm sorry. I just wanted to hear from Salazar too."

Severus could only stare at the boy. Was the child crazy? But- he hadn't said anything about the snake's name. Not that it really had a name. Severus had never said the name aloud to anyone besides the snake. He wasn't a man that kept _pets_. If he talked to the animal occasionally, well… It wasn't like Severus was crazy enough to expect him to respond. Salazar was a bit of a special one, owned since his Hogwarts days when he thought that naming a snake after the founder of his house was the obvious best choice. _He hadn't said the snake's name, but the boy knew it_.

"Did you talk to the snake, boy?" Severus said, telling himself that it wasn't in a panic. He winced himself when he saw the child startled, particularly at being called "boy." Severus knew that he would need to be careful with that, but he wasn't practiced in caring about what he called children.

"I'm sorry. Am I not supposed to? I mean, yes sir. I'm sorry," Harry said, looking at the ground. Ashamed, or scared.

"I am not angry, child," Severus said, mind reeling. Was the child really a Parseltongue? Could it have been because of the- interaction with the Dark Lord? Because Lilly or Potter never- dammit, Potter wasn't even the boy's father. Severus was the one mentally off. "What did the snake say?" he asked, trying for a semblance of calm.

"Didn't you hear him? I didn't mean to talk when you were still talking. I'm sorry."

The boy needed more back bone. How had he thought that this child was arrogant? "I cannot speak to snakes. Now, what did he say?"

"I-" the boy was surprised. "He said that you take good care of him, and his name was the same as the portrait, and you only do experiments on- I think it's mice. He said the squeaking food," Harry finished nervously.

"Ask him something else," Severus instructed. This would be a complicated ability for the boy to deal with. Others would be suspicious, saying the child was destined to be a dark wizard because of it.

Severus watched, listened, to his miniature hiss. And then Salazar did respond.

"Well?" Snape asked more gently, he hoped, throat gone dry.

"I asked him how long you've had him, and I think he meant since you'd been at Hogwarts as a student. He said he was hand-sized and you were young but not as small as me," Harry recounted, smiling again. Of course he wasn't that small. Severus hadn't been nearly as small as Harry as a first year, and he got Salazar in his third.

"Have you spoken to snakes before, Harry?" Severus asked.

The child smiled. Severus needed to remember to use the child's name more, rather than "child" or "boy."

"Sort of. I talked to one at the zoo, and he seemed to listen. And- he told me thanks at the end, after I guess I let him out, but I swear I didn't mean to. Dudley pushed me and Iwasmad and theglassvanishedandthesnakegotout, and he had always been in a cage and he just wanted to be in the wild," Harry said, speaking quickly, looking at his shoes.

This child was in far too complicated of a situation, his previous home life even more troubling than his strange revelation of yet another power. "Did your aunt and uncle blame you for this occurrence? Did one of them strike you?" the wizard asked slowly.

"No," The child said quickly. "Or, not hard. Or. I mean, I would get punished, because they knew it was me that did it, but _I_ didn't know it was me. I guess I thought it was me because freaky stuff always happened around me, but I didn't know how, so I couldn't stop it or do anything about it. I think that time I was just locked in my cupb- in my room. But I wouldn't do it again because I know about magic now," the child spouted.

There was something that Severus hadn't considered before, though he should have, knowing Petunia as well as he did. "You didn't know about magic growing up. Your aunt never told you." It wasn't even a question; it hardly needed to be after that little speech. "And you spent your childhood punished for things that you could not control."

"I- yes sir."

"And you have been told many things now. You know about the- man who killed your mother, yes?" Severus wasn't prepared for this conversation, or really any of the talks he needed to have with the boy. There was no parenting guide that covered this.

"Yeah, Hagrid told me about Lord Voldemort," Severus couldn't stop the flinch. _Another_ discussion. "He didn't like saying the name either. I'm sorry, I didn't know you would mind. I guess lots of people don't like to hear it."

"Those in the generations above you have many and varied reasons for not wanting to hear that name."

"And what is yours?" Harry asked before clapping his hands around his mouth. The little child.

"Harry, I would like to delay that conversation for a time. There are other matters to address presently. I am not trying to hide the past from you exactly, but there are some things not quite fit for eleven-year-old ears, and many other things that are important for you to learn first. However, if you hear of something that bothers you, you may ask me. Is that acceptable for this time?"

"Yes sir," Harry answered, and he didn't seem upset, only curious.

"Come and sit, child," Severus said, leading the boy out of the lab and back towards the comfortable arm chair. The child's legs were barely hanging off the chair when he first tried leaned against the back of it. The child scooted forward again so that his knees could bend, toes still dangling above the floor. Severus imagined that the child's toes would not touch the floor in even the school seats, the desks that upper year students frequently enlarged because they were meant for smaller children.

"Two things you need to know. You evidently possess the unusual ability to speak with serpents," Severus paused. The next was more difficult. "Secondly, and more importantly… you were not treated adequately by your guardians. You were under fed, under nurtured, and likely mistreated in other ways."

The boy looked surprised and confused, but Severus pressed on, "Significant discussion does not have to take place at this moment, and Professor McGonagall and Madame Pomfrey may be present if you wish. Do you understand that you will not be treated like that again? You will not be struck, starved, or- and I will attempt to take care in choosing my words from this point forward. Do you understand?"

"I- understand. I eat in the Great Hall and- everything. But for summers... I'll have to go home, and the Dursleys wouldn't-. It's not that bad, I mean. They just don't know how to deal with fre- with magic, I guess."

Oh, this child _pained_ the heart that a decade of students would profess did not exist. "Harry, do you imagine that every muggleborn, that your new friend, Hermione Granger, was locked away or withheld food whenever she performed a bout of accidental magic?"

"They _wouldn't_. They wouldn't would they? They couldn't do that to her." The defiant eyes and expression at the thought of another child being harmed was enough to assure Severus that the child did actually know what was inappropriate treatment for a child. Harry just didn't expect to be treated properly himself.

"There has been no indication that Miss Granger is anything but cherished and praised by her parents. Your grandparents- they were the same with your mother," Severus said quietly, immediately drawing the focus of large green eyes, impossibly large for the small child.

"They didn't think she was a freak?" Harry let slip out. "My mum?"

"No child," Severus said, trying to keep the anger out of his voice. Surprisingly, he found that the anger was on behalf of the treatment of the boy, more so than from the idea that the woman he had loved for so long would have been considered a freak by anyone.

"But they died, before Dudley was born. Because Dudley only had Uncle Vernon's parents that live in the south, and Aunt Marge who comes to visit sometimes."

"Yes, they died in Lily's seventh year, a muggle car crash, I am afraid."

"That's what they said happened to my p- to my mum. Said they were drunks and got themselves killed," Harry said, and Severus saw tears collecting in those emerald eyes.

Severus remained calmer than he would have thought possible in the situation. The boy needed tranquility. "Anything Petunia said to you was nothing but bitter jealousy from a woman who made herself old before her time, who wanted to be a witch herself in her youth. Don't remember a word that ever came from that vile woman or whatever oaf she married, understand? You won't go back to them, _ever_ , do you hear me?" Severus promised, barely knowing what he was saying himself. He was utterly ill-equipped to handle this.

"Aunt Petunia wanted to be a witch? And where will I stay? I know I can stay over Christmas, but Professor McGonagall says that everyone goes home for summer."

"You will stay in your rooms here," Severus said with boldness he didn't feel. "Or perhaps it could be arranged for you to stay in the tower if you prefer. It is long enough away that it need not be discussed at this moment," he said in a rush, sure that the child would be more horrified about spending a summer in his company than returning to his likely abusers.

"I can really stay here? In my room?" the child asked, not seeming to notice the two drops that had escaped those bright green eyes.

"Yes. That is what I said, and I do my best to keep my word. Perhaps a little rest in your bed now before dinner?" Severus suggested lightly. He felt the growing urge to grab a drink himself, but knowing that he couldn't with the boy in his rooms. The child nodded, sliding off the chair and walking towards the door to his own room.

"And for talking to snakes. It is a very special gift, and you may talk to Salazar whenever you like. However, some are superstitious surrounding the ability, so I do not advise sharing that information with anyone else. If you would like to share it at some point with your two little friends, make sure that you trust them completely first and that they understand the same guidelines, and that you are not overheard. Yes?"

The tired looking little boy nodded and shut the door gently behind him, peeking back at Severus before letting the door close. Severus listened at the door, but he didn't hear the sounds of more crying. He stood there long enough that he felt sure that the completely silent boy must have fallen asleep, before turning and collapsing into his favorite armchair that the child had vacated.

 **A/N: To a particularly kind anonymous reviewer, I so regretted that you didn't have an account or didn't list it so I couldn't thank you personally, but thank you so much for your words, telling me that my story was good and I shouldn't be bothered or want to change my whole story because of a negative review. Thank you to everyone else as well who has left such wonderful reviews. I do appreciate and respond to them all.**

 **Edited Feb 2017.**


	5. Chapter 5 Quidditch

Morphed Secrets- Chapter 5- Quidditch

Harry could almost forget the oddities of discovering he was a wizard, discovering he had a- parent, fighting a troll, making a second close friend, and everything else strange that was happening to him, simply because of the demands of keeping up with school work and the quidditch team. Oliver's enthusiasm was catching but exhausting as their first game approached. It didn't help that the game was against Slytherin, the house that Harry just couldn't figure out. Not a single Slytherin had said a word to him since everything about him and Professor Snape came out, but Harry didn't spend any less time worrying about the traditional rival house to Gryffindor. Why were they rivals anyway? Was it really because something the founder had done a thousand years ago? That seemed like a really long grudge to hold against a dead person.

*****Ron*****

"What is he doing up there?" Ron asked, looking on as his friend moved erratically back and forth in the air, far higher than the other players in the first quidditch game of the year.

Hermione gasped, "His broom is being _cursed_ , Ron. We have to find the one who's doing it." She stood up and looked around frantically. She'd fix whatever was going on. She was probably as good as the twins at magic, and they were two years older. Ron listened as she muttered to herself, "I would imagine it's too strong of a curse for a student, so that leaves. Oh- Snape," Hermione said, running off towards where the teachers sat, Ron right behind her.

"What do you mean, Hermione? It _can't_ be him. He wouldn't do that to Harry," Ron said firmly. The two ran for the stairs, having to take a path away from the Gryffindor stands to enter the teacher's seating area. They couldn't see anything for those moments, but could hear gasps and screams from the crowd as more people noticed Harry out of control.

"I know what I saw. He wasn't blinking and he was saying something. You have to maintain eye-contact for those sorts of spells."

"Bloody hell, so watching your _son_ being thrown around in the sky is a crime now?" Ron huffed as the shorter girl ran faster than he would have imagined of the little bookworm. She was smart, but that didn't make her right this time. Family wouldn't do that, Ron knew, so Snape- Professor Snape- just wouldn't. Though, Harry's other family didn't seem to care that much about him… Ron shook his head, making sure he didn't lose track of Hermione.

When they were able to see the teachers again, Ron grabbed Hermione's shoulder to stop her for just a second and scanned every face except for Professor Snape's. "Quirrell," he said, shaking Hermione's arm. "Quirrell is staring at him too, not blinking and saying stuff. It's gotta be him. Snape must be trying to stop him. I'd bet anything on it."

"This will distract both to be safe," Hermione said firmly and reached for a jar of blue flames that had been somehow hidden in her robes, slipping under the teacher's stands, out of Ron's sight. Ron stared at Snape now, trusting that Hermione would stop Quirrell. New cries went up from the teachers, probably from whatever or whomever Hermione was setting fire to. Cheers from the rest of the crowd told him that Harry must be okay. Professor Snape didn't stop staring and mumbling until Harry wasn't in danger anymore, and Ron saw just a moment when the man closed his eyes, looking exhausted and relieved. Ron thought he even saw the man's lips twitch upward in a smile before his eyes snap opened with alarm- apparently because his cloak was on fire.

Hermione reappeared at Ron's side, briefly tugging his sleeve before, running back to the student section, Ron just a few steps behind. As they rejoined the crowds of students, Ron realized that in the excitement, Harry had managed to catch the snitch and win the game for Gryffindor!

*****Harry*****

Amid the loud noises of the common room, Harry asked Hermione,"Do you know what happened to my broom?" Adrenaline still running wild after a second near death experience in as many weeks. And the troll had been easier to understand.

"It was- a teacher, Harry," Hermione said delicately.

"It was Quirrell," Ron spat.

"How can you be sure it wasn't-" Hermione put in.

"It was _Quirrell_. Both he and Sn- Professor Snape were doing some magic on it, but Snape was doing a counter curse, I'm sure of it. He didn't stop until after Harry was already okay. And- and I could tell that he was glad Harry was okay. You didn't have to set him on _fire_ , Hermione. Brilliant magic th-"

"What?" Harry yelped. Harry had already started to panic. His- Professor Snape would be so mad!

Hermione looked rather apologetic. "I needed to be sure that the distraction would be enough to drop the curse. And I did go to Professor Quirrell first," she insisted.

"So- Professor Snape protected me?" Harry asked again.

"Yeah, Harry. You need to stop being surprised. He's your _dad_ ," Ron stated as if it were the simplest thing in the world. "And he's been okay to you lately, hasn't he? Really great even. He gave you that broom, didn't he? And he was pretty okay about the troll. I mean, he was mean before, but he didn't know he was your dad, so it doesn't really count for this. He doesn't have to like everyone- just you. But he was okay to me too. Talked to me like I wasn't just a little kid. And I think he's actually _trying_ to be nicer overall. I mean, he's even left Neville alone lately, haven't you noticed? Neville showed me a real A on his last essay, and I've gotten them too. After my first essay had been a D, I didn't know what I would have to tell Mum. I know you've been getting some E's even."

Harry thought of his most recent few potions paper with red "E's" written at the top. But good marks didn't mean affection the way protecting someone did. Protecting someone was really important, and Harry hadn't even done anything nice to Professor Snape to deserve it. He was pretty sure he had earned his marks by working harder, but this was different. Harry nodded anyway, pushing it out of his mind and went back to mingle in the party, before slipping away out the portrait hole when everyone was asking Oliver what their prospects were for the cup. The older boy seemed to have gotten some harder liquor from somewhere and was shouting more boisterously than usual.

*****Severus*****

The old man stood, facing his damned bird instead of Severus. "Well? I told you I had my suspicious after Halloween, and now he's attempted _murder_ on the child. Surely expulsion from the castle, alerting the aurors? Allowing him to have an _unfortunate accident_?" Would any of it really be enough?

"Come now, Severus. You have no proof that it was Quirinus who attacked the boy. I have had three teachers alert me that they thought it was your doing in fact," at which point Severus made a rather rude scoff at his superior. "Not that I would ever believe them, my boy," Dumbledore finished with his damned twinkle.

"He was lurking in the third floor on Halloween. He probably let the damned troll in himself, and you cannot be blind or daft enough to ignore it!" Severus spat, tension making him more unpleasant even than usual.

Albus Dumbledore sighed, "Within the walls of Hogwarts, everyone is perfectly safe. Quirinus has been our colleague for years, and if he is part of the cause, which has not been proven, I find it more likely that he is being manipulated and in more danger than any of the rest of us. Should I endanger _his_ life in that way?"

"Yes!" Severus near shouted, disturbing the onlooking portraits of past headmasters and headmistresses in their frames. Of course, none of them had actually been sleeping from the moment he walked through the door. "Better to throw away the fool who can only blame himself than the boy. And every other child in this castle, or person in this world. You know better than anyone else what is hidden down there and what _he_ could do with it?"

"I am monitoring the situation, Severus, procuring another defense that even Tom would not be able to coach a man through breaking, _if_ it were to come to that, which it has not yet."

"Just get _rid_ of him," Severus snapped, already on his way towards the door. "And there won't be another match like that. The quidditch. Not for Harry. It is far too exposed. I will be on the pitch for the next one myself, whatever excuse is necessary," Severus huffed, not looking at the older man.

"I am glad that you care so much for young Mr. Potter," the man said, though the damned old man must have known that Severus hated the name and had avoided saying it for weeks. Severus had even avoided thinking it, truthfully. "Well, perhaps he should be young Mr. Snape now. A conversation for another day, I think. But I do not think the boy would mind the conversation," The man proclaimed, eyes twinkling before Severus whipped around to face him, sneer in place. His standard defense mechanism. He whirled back around and left without saying another word to his employer, to whom he owed too much. He needed a drink.

*****Harry*****

Harry stepped inside the Slytherin Head's chambers, more comfortable than he had been before. It was a stark contrast to the boisterous laughter still going on in Gryffindor tower in their post-game celebration, but Harry found that he liked the quiet here. "Yes, child?" came the inquiring voice.

"Thank you," Harry managed. "I heard that- that you were saying some spells to help me when I was in the air out of control, and I just wanted to say thank you."

"You know about that, do you?" Snape asked, eyebrow raised.

"Yes, sir. I- why would Professor Quirrell want to hurt me?"

"Of course, you have learned that as well. Tell me, were your little friends responsible for the bouts of blue fire in the teachers stands? My cloak was set aflame as well."

"We haven't learned anything to make blue flames, sir," Harry said in non-answer, staring at his feet.

"Which means it was Miss Granger, of course, who performed the spell," he said neutrally. He didn't seem that upset about being set on fire.

"Only because of me, so it's my fault really, not anyone else's," Harry said.

"No one is in trouble, child. And if they were, it would not be you. It was an- _effective_ measure. But, you should learn some self-preservation, rather than throwing yourself into unknown punishment. Though I admit I am not sure why I was targeted if she gathered that I was assisting rather than harming. I do see that you have befriended her in the end."

"I- yeah, Hermione I really good friend now. Ron was the one that was sure you were helping. Hermione just did the best she could," Harry admitted, comforted that it didn't sound like his friends would be in trouble.

*****Severus*****

"It was a logical course of action," Severus acknowledged generously, reminding himself that he could make it through the conversation without yelling or reaching for a drink. It was good for the boy to have friends who looked after him. Clearly Severus was not able to be everywhere at once.

"But, why would Quirrell want me dead?" Harry persisted. Severus- wouldn't have allowed that to happen, would have slowed the boy's fall, surely fast enough… but the boy was under no illusions.

"I have my suspicions," Severus said slowly, unnerved and the brash way the child talked of his possible death. That surely wasn't a normal conversation to be having with and eleven-year-old. "And surely you do as well. But it would not have been something I would have suspected Quirinus of before this year. What is the most likely reason that someone would wish you severe harm, child?"

"Because of Volde- er, sorry, You-Know-Who, I mean."

The child would never learn without an explanation, and Severus could hardly expect him to. "It is not wise to say the name, and it is more than fear or superstition. _He_ was having followers working on a way to detect when someone had said that name, to target those brave or foolish enough to use it. Perhaps now it seems safe from those worries, particularly within the walls of Hogwarts, but I have found that it never hurts to be cautious. But yes, it is likely because of- You- Know-Who," Severus said, feeling foolish calling his former master by the ridiculous moniker, but not wishing to give the reverence of "Dark Lord" particularly in the child's presence.

"Do you think that he's not dead too?" Harry asked.

Severus sighed, not knowing how much to tell the curious child, but somehow deciding that the child could handle at least a portion of truth. "I believe he is alive in some form, seeking to regain lost power. There were rumors that he had been in Albania, which was where Quirinus happened to summer this past year. Quirinus has been- stranger than usual since then, more skittish, though he was never very brave or- competent. I advise you to have caution around him, particularly after this incident. I have already spoken to Professor Dumbledore about his possible removal, and the situation is being monitored. Slower than my liking, but it is being addressed." Severus wouldn't admit how little he imagined was being done. He wouldn't let anything happen though, and he knew that Albus would either, infuriating as the damned old fool was.

The child nodded, shy again, and soon after took his leave. "Thank you again," the boy had said.

*****Harry*****

"Fighting a troll _and_ a bucking broomstick. You've been mighty busy haven't you, Harry Potter?" Tonks teased.

Harry didn't think Tonks would really make fun of him for it if he asked... She was enough of an adult not to, but not adult-like enough that he was too scared to ask her, "Everyone still calls me that, 'Mr. Potter.' Is it still even my name?" Harry whispered.

"What do you want your name to be, Harry?" Tonks asked in a more serious but kind tone. "I didn't mean to bring it up if it bothers you. I imagine you could go by whatever you wanted."

"Wouldn't Professor Snape have to do something about that? To change my name? I mean, if both of us even wanted it. I'm just eleven, doesn't an adult have to- sign something?" Harry said, eyes on his feet. He didn't look much like a Gryffindor at the moment.

"I could talk to him for you," Tonks offered.

"No, please don't," Harry said, green eyes showing more alarm than he knew. "We've been getting along really well, really very well. But I don't want to push anything, you know?"

"And now you've slipped back to normal," Tonks noted, with a subject change, "You reverted to base form when you weren't thinking about it." That had been part of their lesson, he knew.

"Well, how am I supposed to think about it when I'm not thinking about it? And you distracted me," he accused, feigning more grumpiness than he felt. Though he'd only had a few sessions with Tonks, he liked her a lot.

Harry wasn't sure what was different now about this weird power. He'd spent eleven years in a form that wasn't really his, but now that he knew about it, it was hard to maintain anything that wasn't this. Harry stared at himself in the mirror, familiar green eyes and the by now familiar large nose. His hair fell just to his shoulders now. Tonks had helped him cut it at their last meeting. He hadn't even thought about it before she asked if he wanted to change it. He'd thought about shorter hair, he'd even tried it out in the mirror with his abilities. He always had shorter hair before, so he thought he'd like it better. But it just didn't look right. Maybe- maybe it was just because this was about the length that… Professor Snape always kept his, and Harry knew that was completely pathetic.

Still, it just felt right, and having long hair didn't really bother him like he had thought it might. If he didn't think about it, his scar was more visible, because he have hair in front of his forehead anymore, but he could change the hair if he wanted to. And Katie Bell had showed him how to keep it out of his way for quidditch.

Tonks brought him back to his lesson, "It doesn't take thought to maintain shape once you've got the hang of it. You did it without thinking for eleven years in fact. You're probably actually _over_ thinking it all now," Tonks pointed out. "My theory is that it comes from being comfortable in an altered form. You maintain the attributes you think of yourself as having. You are a prime example of that, clearly. But you can make more changes and keep them for shorter terms with some more practice being comfortable like that too. And I don't think Severus would mind if you asked him about defining your relationship more clearly. I've heard enough to know that he cares about you a lot. Now, my protégé, hair as green as your eyes again, or we'll resort to pink like mine next time, yes?" Tonks said, making Harry smile again.

*****Severus*****

Severus was no longer surprised to hear the shouts from the hallway outside of his quarters. The Tonks witch had taken to visiting him after each of her sessions with Harry. He motioned for her to be allowed in before her screeches brought the entire castle to his door. Or at least that was what he told himself that was what his motivations were. She was not- altogether unpleasant to spend an evening with.

"Severus," Tonks greeted saying his name as an equal, as if she wasn't just a year out of Hogwarts, barely more than a student herself.

"You just dropped by for a visit _again_?" Severus questioned, though he didn't mind.

"Of course. If you'd just give me your new password, I wouldn't have to risk raising the dead with my shouting."

"Blood root" Severus said quietly, completely unsure why he was giving away such private information. "Only because you insist in making a racket as the alternative. I expect no other unwanted guests to be told."

"I appreciate it," the witch smiled. "Harry's a good kid," Tonks said, practically flinging herself on his sofa, boots hitting his table as she tried to throw them over the arm rest. "Oops," she winced, though Severus barely noticed at this point. He had taken to moving any breakables from his sitting room on the days of Harry's lessons, usually Friday nights. He told himself that he should plan to be elsewhere and just let her scream at the unlucky portrait until giving up. But each time, he found himself sitting in his sitting room, occasionally glancing at his clock. "He's a sweetheart, despite everything he's been through. I hope he has a nice life, meets a sweet girl, maybe a muggle even, so he knows she likes him for him, not his fame," Tonks said, more somberly than Severus had come to expect from the young witch.

"And this with all the wisdom of your, what, eighteen years?" Severus mocked lightly. If he hadn't warmed to the young woman, it would have been an outright sneer.

"I've seen a lot. You can go interesting places if you can change your face," she said with a wink.

"I would guess that you are projecting your own experiences, and hopes on the boy," Severus surmised, blurting something completely unlike him. He had nothing to gain by such a statement, and it was none of his business to question the woman's social life.

Tonks didn't seem to care and merely smiled, "A bold statement, Severus Snape. But yes. I know what it's like to have attention for something that you cannot help. I learned when I was fifteen that too many men thought of me as a sex toy. So I worked to become just 'one of the guys' instead." Severus noted again that she was in her base form, as usual now, and again wearing far too little to be traipsing around the dungeons. Far too little to be so casually in his presence. After her first visit, he had stopped giving her his cloak, because he no longer expected to see it again if he did. He stood instead and grabbed the blanket draped over the back of his arm chair and threw it at the young woman.

"Should I be interpreting anything?" she asked, eyebrow raised. Her face was- very expressive. Severus simply thought she looked- cold. It was purely for her benefit, not his own peace of mind.

"A drink?" Severus offered, walking towards his liquor cabinet. It was perhaps unprofessional for his quarters, but he had run out of things to say, and the topic had already gone far past his comfort.

He told himself that it was only that he would naturally be having an evening drink himself, and it would be rude to not extend the offer to his company, unwanted though she was. Though he hadn't had a drink without her since she asserted herself into his quarters.

*****Severus*****

Of course Dumbledore had saddled him with this job. Severus knew that he was a logical choice, as he was involved, but he didn't like it anymore for it. Speaking to the press was not a choice Severus would make for himself. The harassment of the school had begun just hours after that dinner in the great hall weeks ago. Elves had been sorting the mail that went to Severus, Harry, and to the Headmaster since that day, and frankly Severus was content to let that state of affairs continue. The rabble tired eventually, and he would not notice the loss of a paper was filled with little of importance anyway.

However, Dumbledore and the other staff had not taken kindly when reporters badgered older students when they were in Hogsmeade. Some of the little attention seeking idiots had given statements to the papers, though none from his Slytherins. Slytherins wouldn't act until they were sure it was most beneficial to them, and with their Head of House involved, that was not likely to be beneficial. Severus had heard that the Weasley twins had managed to get in the paper, saying something about him, but he had wanted to read that article even less than the others. And now he was expected to greet reporters within half an hour, on Hogwarts grounds.

"I don't want to speak to any reporters," the small boy said, more of a whine than Severus had ever actually heard from the child. "Wouldn't er- you talking be better?"

"Where's that irritating Gryffindor courage?" Severus prodded, hoping to spur the boy into agreement.

"I don't really. The hat _wanted_ to put me in Slytherin, or at least it really thought about it," Harry whispered. Severus looked at the child. That was surprising… enough to be worthy of a distraction. Perhaps people would have claimed that it made sense after his parentage was revealed, but how would the wizarding world have reacted that September 1st if Harry Potter had been sorted into _Slytherin_? How would _Severus_ have reacted? Would house bond have been enough to overcome the hatred of that face, those memories? Probably not, as childish as that was on his part… No, the child had been better off in Gryffindor for any number of reasons, especially now.

"And you told it that you did not want to be in Slytherin," the man said, succeeding, he thought, in keeping his voice neutral. Not judging.

"I- yes. I mean, I didn't know, and I'd heard some bad things. And I'd met- I'm sorry. I didn't mean to offend you by not being in your house. I didn't _know_. I didn't know anything."

"You do not need to defend yourself from me, Harry. Though of course it is my fault that you feel the need to. I admit to being curious at how you had such a poor taste of Slytherin before the end of your first day."

"It was before then. At Diagon Alley, I met Mal- I met Draco, and he was rude. He didn't know my name, but he asked if my parents were "our sort" or whatever, and I didn't understand. And he was rude to Hagrid, who'd brought me and been just the greatest."

"Hagrid brought you to Diagon Alley?" Severus asked in surprise. Typically, Minerva or one of the staff would visit Muggleborn homes, so that they would believe the letter and take magic seriously. But then the parents would manage on their own to visit Diagon Alley for supplies. Petunia should have had an easier time of it because she had visited as a child that fist summer with Lily, even if she refused to go again the next year. But of course, Severus couldn't see Petunia bringing her nephew to the place either.

"Yeah," Harry said with actual growing enthusiasm. "He was the greatest ever. Uncle Vernon wouldn't let me get my letter, because they knew what it was, I guess. So he ripped or burned all of them that came to the house. But eventually there were too many, so he packed us up and took us to this little place on a lake. And then it was midnight on my eleventh birthday, and Hagrid knocked down the door. And he told me- well, everything really. About me being a wizard and getting to go to school. Already been paid for even, he said. So I didn't have to rely on Uncle Vernon to pay, because Uncle Vernon said he never would. Oh, and Uncle Vernon pulled out a gun, but Hagrid grabbed it and twisted it up. You should have seen his face. And he gave Dudley a- and the next morning, Hagrid took me to Diagon Alley."

Severus nodded, stunned by the alarming details of the tale- a _gun_ \- but understanding the child a bit better.. It was natural that Harry wouldn't have taken well to another child speaking ill of Hagrid. The half-giant was the truest kind of hero to the child, giving him an alternative to those animals that he called family. "So you asked the hat to put you in Gryffindor," Severus said calmly. Hagrid might have mentioned that the boy's- parents were Gryffindors.

Harry looked at his shoes, "Well, really just to not put me in Slytherin. But, if I'd thought about it, I probably would have wished for Gryffindor, because Ron seemed pretty sure that he was going to end up there, and he and his family were really nice and helped me get onto the platform. Because I didn't know how, you see…" Harry trailed off, words exhausted.

"I'm not angry, child," Severus clarified again. "It was all probably for the best in the end. You have made good friends in your house after all, yes?"

Harry nodded.

"And the hat did still choose to put you there. Sorting, especially so young, is hardly more than a guess. Students change after the age of eleven. And children usually possess attributes of multiple houses. Young Miss Granger highly values intelligence, doesn't she?" He continued when Harry nodded. "And all three of you greatly value loyalty, yes?" Harry nodded again, a small smile beginning to appear on the child's face. "You have too much bravery for your own good, child. That is not usually a compliment from me, but it will serve you well in this instance, understood? The newspaper reporters can't harm you, only annoy you."

"Yes sir," Harry smiled up at him. Severus was still surprised to see a young face, so similar to his own at that age, but smiling openly and with those big green eyes.

The morning became significantly more hectic in the next moments. Reporters arrived from the Daily Prophet and various other news sources that Severus hardly took notice of. He did notice that the child frowned frequently at the constant barrage of, "Harry Potter, Mr. Potter," the brainless idiots babbled.

Overall, the child handled himself very well. He said very complimentary things about Severus. The troll debacle was not mentioned at all. One of them had heard about the enchanted broom incident, and the child actually told them about Severus using counter jinxes, though he didn't mention Quirrell. Severus hadn't even thought to coach him through that bit. The child was seemingly a natural once warmed up to the crowd. He crafted his answer and spoke about Gryffindor's win and celebration in a way that no one even asked who actually had been bewitching the broom. Worthy of a Slytherin, Severus found himself admitting.

The child had quickly segued instead into how he had been made placed on the quidditch team when he had thought he was going to be in trouble. He spoke of the childish confusion over the name "Wood" being some sort of paddle, which wasn't really troubling if you didn't know that the child had been mistreated in the past.

When attention turned to the child's metamorphamagus abilities, the child actually turned his hair green and smiled. _Green_ of all colors. When an irritating reporter asked for Gryffindor colors instead, the boy changed to striped deep red and amazingly gold hair. Remarkable.

Eventually, Dumbledore arrived to shepherd them all out with Severus barely saying a word, though the child looked back at him, perhaps for reassurance almost constantly, it seemed to him. And they were both the subject of too many photographs. Though he would never admit it, the enterprise was far less painful than Severus had anticipated.

 **A/N: I image the reporters would be going absolutely crazy over this, begging for an interview and harassing students. And I thought it would be cute to have a little encouragement from Severus.**

 **Edited: Feb 2017, thank you so much for the support!**


	6. Chapter 6 Experimenting

Morphed Secrets- Experimenting

*****Harry*****

 _Nicolas Flamel_ , Harry thought as he, Ron, and Hermione ran back up to the castle, away from Hagrid's hut, where Hagrid had let the name slip out when they asked him about what "Fluffy" was guarding. No one but Hagrid would name a three-headed giant dog "Fluffy". But they had a name now, Nicolas Flamel, something to really research. And he had something to do with the small object that Hagrid removed from Gringott's on Harry's birthday, the thing that Fluffy was now guarding on the third floor.

Harry hadn't spent much time thinking about their mystery yet, so mixed up in the other changes in his own life.

Harry did wonder if he was getting involved in something "adult" that Professor Snape wouldn't want him to investigate. But he wasn't doing any harm or anything dangerous _really_ , just talking to Hagrid and things like that. And Hermione would know how to research this Flamel person and maybe even figure out what the object was.

And then they could tell Dumbledore or Professor Snape, _if_ there was something really serious going on. It was probably pointless though, because Professor Snape and Dumbledore probably knew all about it, and someone had already tried to steal it from Gringotts, so the protection must be even more secure at Hogwarts. There was probably some things other than Fluffy guarding it too.

 _Nicolas Flamel_ , Harry thought as they ran. The names sounded familiar, but he couldn't place it. He let the thought slip away, knowing that Hermione would figure it all out anyway.

Harry was disappointed when Hermione didn't know who Flamel was already, but the next few days were filled happily enough with the three of them skimming through library books on top of everything else that they had to do at Hogwarts. Other people must have noticed too, because Professor Snape once commented that it was good to hear that Harry was spending more time in the library. But the way he looked when he said it made Harry sure that he suspected that the three of them weren't really spending all that time on school work.

When the list to sign up to stay at Hogwarts for Christmas was put up, Harry was the first to sign it. He was glad that Ron was staying as well, even if Hermione wasn't. Harry thought that Hermione worried herself so much that she might as well just at Hogwarts. As it was now, Hermione couldn't go for more than an hour without talking about how much she would miss access to the Hogwarts library, and how this would slow them down considerably in their search for Nicholas Flamel.

Not that Harry disagreed with her last point. He and Ron promised that they would keep looking in the library, but Harry didn't have much faith in the two of them making a breakthrough. In fact, Hermione was probably more likely to come up with something on her own over the break, especially as she was bringing home what must have been half the books left in the library in her trunk. She bemoaned that she didn't know how to cast charms to extend the inside of her trunk and lighten the load so that she could take even more of them with her. Hermione would still have everything under control, Harry told himself.

Harry also thought that he might actually have the first nice Christmas that he could remember, not surrounded by people who hated him.

*****Harry*****

"You did it Harry!" The brunette witch said, looking across eye-level at Harry and clapping excitedly. The smile turned a bit sly, "Though you might not want to try such a drastic height increase before you learn to balance it between legs and torso, _Stilts_."

Harry looked down and indeed, his torso looked about the same, but his legs had to be at least half a foot longer, maybe more, to meet Tonks at eye-level. Though she wasn't a tall woman in her base form, she was a full grown adult, compared to his undersized eleven-year-old self. Harry personally thought that he had done pretty well to balance between his shins and thighs, though he couldn't have claimed to have thought much about what he was doing before he did it.

"Now run around the room until you get too tired to keep going or I get sick of sitting here," Tonks instructed.

It was a sign of Harry's comfort with the older witch that he let out a mild protest, "Why?" he actually whined.

"It's good practice keeping your form when you're in an intense situation. It will help your agility and balance in different forms, and beyond metamorphmagus stuff, it's good for you."

"But _you're_ still clumsy," Harry shot out before he could think better of it. Thankfully, his young teacher smiled.

"Well, no one made me run around when I was eleven. And for your information, I'm just as clumsy in my base form as anything else. It's just my nature, I think, and it doesn't seem to be yours, so be happy about that. Mad-Eye Moody himself gave up on insisting I stayed in base form for training when he saw it didn't make any difference. Now stop dawdling and RUN," Tonks barked.

Tonks made him run around for about ten minutes until Harry was thoroughly winded.

He transformed back into his normal self the moment Tonks said he could go, leaving the room quickly with a friendly wave and promise that he would practice the things they had done, though Harry wasn't sure how much he really planned to run around. Students at Hogwarts didn't have required exercise, unless you were lazy enough to count flying exercise, which it wasn't really, at least if you weren't on one of the teams. Good brooms like Harry's were so responsive that even team practices weren't really that much real exercise, for seekers anyway, though it was still very hard.

*****Severus*****

"We should test you," The witch said suddenly, though Severus had the distinct impression that she had previously planned whatever ridiculous suggestion she was proposing. The witch had spent the last half hour in his quarters strangely silent. And as he was not known as a brilliant conversationalist, there had been a fair amount of quietly nursing drinks to fill the void.

Snape restrained himself to his typical raised eyebrow. "Test me in what way, Miss Tonks?"

"For metamorphmagus abilities. It runs in families sometimes. It just usually isn't as pronounced as mine and Harry's. My mum has a bit. She never knew it until I worked with her, but she can change her hair, and sometimes her nails a bit, the lengths anyway. I think she could do more without the mental aspect interfering with her."

"I believe my fingers and head are fine," Snape replied, almost daring her to make some crack about his hair. He did bathe regularly, but his scalp didn't seem to care, his profession did not help matters, and he wasn't likely to put any additional effort into his appearance. He had noticed the same tendency in the boy, though Harry seemed to keep up with it better. Though the boy wasn't even yet pubescent, so the oily scalp was nowhere near what it would likely be in a few years.

"Yes, yes. But wouldn't it be exciting?" The witch prodded.

"And how would you know if I were to have some small amount of this gift?" Severus found himself asking, damned curiosity getting the better of him.

"Same way I tested Harry, of course, finding a base form, seeing if the magic feels familiar. Can't hurt to try, right? Just a second," the witch said, contorting her face momentarily and finishing completely transformed, looking like the girl that Severus taught for years. Given the witch's seeming inability to wear proper clothes, even in a dungeon, Severus couldn't help but notice the transformation, hair colour and length, height increase, a bit slimmer overall. But in all honesty the main thing that he noticed was that her chest shrank to almost nothing. "Give me your hands," the girl- young woman- prompted him.

Severus glanced at the offered hands. He may have even stared. It was oddly troubling to see her like that again, the way she had looked in his classes except for the uniform. It shouldn't be troubling of course. It wasn't like he wasn't very aware who the- witch was; he had taught her for the past seven years. She had just seemed different in the last months, interrupting his life with the most unexpected turn, and continuing to invade his space. Severus grabbed the witch's hands.

"Good. Now, try to feel the magic that works the change," she said, before there was visually a different woman in front of him. Severus noticed that to change back, she didn't have to contort her face the way she did when she changed anything else.

Severus was somewhat ashamed of himself that he could not tear his eyes away from the witch as she changed, and he wasn't looking at her ostentatious hair turning to the natural brown. She had a… superficially pleasing body type, relatively slim but curved and essentially perfect in his mind. She looked rather like the other women of the Black women that he had encountered. It was in no way acceptable to be appreciating this young woman's figure, much less comparing her to her aunts and mother, whom he was much closer in age to. Though he wasn't technically old enough to be the witch's father by several years, he reminded himself. Andromeda Black had been a seventh year prefect when he was just a first year, and he knew that she married Theodore Tonks just after graduation, and there were rumors that she was already pregnant by that time. It was a good enough piece of gossip that even first years knew that a Slytherin seventh year was dating a _Hufflepuff_. Andromeda had been kind though, leading the first year penmanship tutelage, always willing to give him additional attention without ridicule, even though he could not use a quill as well as the others after being raised in the muggle world. Severus had noted that Harry had abhorrent handwriting, and it was unlikely that other houses took such care in instructing their first years, even though they had far greater numbers of muggleborn students.

"Did you feel anything?" Nymphadora asked, bringing him back to the task he was called to attempt.

"No. It is likely a pointless endeavor," Severus said, forcing himself to tear his hands away from the softer, smaller hands that held his.

"Once isn't nearly enough. It's trying to acquaintance yourself with a completely foreign type of magic." She twisted her face until she appeared pink haired and flat chested again. With a bit of consideration, she twisted her face again and settled on chin length blue hair. She grabbed his hands again.

"Just breathe and try not to think. Or focus on me- whatever helps. Like meditation- you practice occlumency and legilimency, don't you?" she asked.

Focus on _her_? Severus was trying to do anything else. She was practically still his student. "Yes," he managed, wondering how she knew of those particular skills he had long practiced. It wasn't something he bragged about.

Her features softened before his eyes, and this time he noticed her sigh, as she completely relaxed under his fingertips. Her head rolled drifted slightly to one side, bringing attention down her long neck to the breasts that seemed to _spring_ forward in greeting. She was lovely. Her thin shirt in the chilly dungeon- Severus wrenched his hands away, feeling them tingling with strange magic.

"I felt that," he managed to say, anything to distract himself.

"That's great," the witch gushed, already back in her other form, with long purple hair this time, holding his hands yet again as if nothing had happened in that moment. Not that anything _had_ happened. Severus took a moment and studied the young woman's chosen form. Her features were not drastically different, definite traces of Black heritage there. She had thinned her face a bit and in this way more resembled Narcissa, particularly with the longer hair. Narcissa had somewhat deprived herself of food starting in her fourth year to the point that she was far thinner than the witch in front of him, unhealthily so. Narcissa had been just a year ahead of Severus at Hogwarts, though Lucius was four years his senior. It was her fourth year, Lucius's seventh that the witch set her eyes on the Malfoy heir, starving herself out of the nice figure she had already developed, and dying her hair blond instead of the darker shades of the Black family. Everyone said the pair was well suited, and they were a close in age couple by pureblood standards, considering that at the time, and perhaps still now, many families archaically married off daughters to older men, with barely a care for the young woman's consent.

"Are you alright?" Nymphadora asked. "You seem sort of lost," she asked, leaning closer to him, purple hair still slinging halfway across her eyes as she leaned. Her eyes were just like the Blacks' as well, as dark as his own. Bellatrix, whom Severus had avoided whenever possible, had the same colour eyes, though hers were crazed long before she was ever thrown in Azkaban.

"I'm fine," Severus maintained.

"Then come _on_ , one more try at least," the witch begged. "Try to copy the same sort of magic you felt. It has to be a sort of individual thing, I think, so it might take a bit."

"Or more likely, it is a fruitless endeavor because I have no such ability," Severus near growled, though he took her hands abruptly just the same. It was nothing. "I believe that it is quite clear that I would have changed my appearance in my adolescence if it were so easy as wishing," Severus snarled.

"Why?" the witch asked, sounding curious. "Harry's adorable, and he looks just like you. I bet you looked a lot like him at that age. And you grew up to be handsome."

Severus could not believe the lies dripping from her mouth. What did she expect to gain from flattery? He tried to slip his hands away, but her grip was suddenly tight. It didn't seem worth the effort. "Greasy hair, sallow skin, crooked teeth, giant nose," Severus listed.

"Tall, slim, graceful, nice hands, _giant nose_ ," Tonks countered. "I like it. It adds distinction."

"Then why do you change _your_ appearance?" Severus snapped.

The young woman raised an eyebrow. She still held his hand though she hadn't continued their experiment. "I thought we'd been over this before. But it was because I looked boring, and later it started to be to protect myself, as I imagine you've already deduced. My favoured looks are tall, flat, and short-haired. It's not so hard to psychoanalyze that I picked traits associated with males. I knew it was a defense mechanism before the head- healer _shrink_ told me so. But I suppose I like it now. I'm used to it anyway, and it would just cause too many questions now if I were to change again. Besides, it's dead convenient to never outgrow your clothes. I don't even own a pair of shoes that fit my giant real feet," she said, kicking off her oversized slippers despite the cold of the dungeon, revealing what Severus supposed were large feet for a woman, though they seemed fine to him. "Would you still want to change?" the witch darted back at him.

"No." _Why the hell was he repeatedly having far too personal conversations with this- witch._

"Good. You shouldn't. Now, one more try, try it with me" she said, and Severus felt the same tingling magic in his fingertips as Nymphadora Tonks phased back into her natural form.

"Feeling the magic and possessing it are two different matters," Severus snarled. This had gone on too long.

"Well, feeling it alone is a positive sign. You probably have at least some aptitude for it. This was just an easy indicator if it had worked. Most people aren't like Harry. My mother didn't change except for her fingernails, so this is probably your base form already, which is normal. We can try some meditation or go straight into form changing."

"Enough! This is fruitless and I have no desire to waste either of our time on it."

"It's not wasting. It's fun. I can wait for another time though, if you're going to be grumpy about it."

"It won't _work_ ," he said, volume increasing.

"Fine. I didn't mean to get your hopes up. I admit that I was hoping for it myself. If you ever want to try again, let me know," the girl stated, agitated herself despite her calm words. She was throwing her belongings into her bag, slinging it over her shoulder.

"I didn't say you had to leave," Severus said, startling both the young woman and himself.

Tonks smiled again, "Alright then," before looking around and grabbing the nearest alcohol. There was always so much around that one would wonder if Severus Snape was an alcoholic if you didn't know his very controlled mannerisms. And that he had last drank alone just before the witch before him burst into his life.

"What shall we drink to then?" she asked, opening the bottle.

"Must there be a reason?"

"To senseless drinking then. Good enough," the witch declared before taking a rather large gulp of the liquor. Snape was somewhat impressed that she wasn't sputtering after that. Probably from all the practice she now had at stealing his liquor.

"To a good bottle, then," he agreed.

"And to good company," Tonks added.

"Do not push your luck when you are still an invader in my quarters."

"An invader that you just _asked_ to stay, Severus," the witch teased. The name rolled off her tongue before she took another gulp. It didn't sound like such an odious name from her lips.

 **A/N: Just to be clear, I don't have any problem with large age gaps, and issues that Severus has are his alone (or my version of his anyway). I do try to be precise about details (though I don't care when others don't- it's** ** _fan_** **fiction), and some internet sources list slightly different ages for the Black sisters, but the only source for such information seems to be the glimpse of the Black Family Tapestry in the movie, so- eh. The next chapter will be extra-long and coming this weekend.**


	7. Chapter 7 Christmas

Chapter 7- Christmas

*****Harry*****

"Oi, presents!" Ron's voice came, waking Harry from some pleasant dream that he immediately couldn't remember. Ron and Harry now had their room to themselves, and Hermione had also left with the other students more than a week ago. Harry and the Weasleys were the only students left in Gryffindor Tower.

Harry twisted in his bed and opened his curtains. His throat caught as he saw the sizable pile near his feet on the ground. It wasn't as big as Ron's pile, he saw, but much larger than he would have ever expected. Ron had a large family that cared about him. Who would give Harry Christmas presents? Harry shook his head, trying to remind himself that at least a few people actually cared about him now.

Harry momentarily thought of his gloomy Christmases before, preparing Christmas meals the last few years that he would barely get to eat any of. When Marge was there, it had been even worse. After a quick look through his presents, Harry wasn't surprised to not receive anything from them. He wondered how much the Dursleys had been told. He would never go back to them… Professor Snape had promised him that. The Dursleys would be happier for that too, except when they had to do their own chores instead of making Harry do them. They had probably had to hire someone else to take care of the lawn by now, because he couldn't see Aunt Petunia or Uncle Vernon putting forth the effort after years of not having to.

Harry snapped himself away from unhappy memories and focused on the presents in front of him. He first grabbed a package that looked identical to the one that Ron was ripping open. He ran his hands over the soft, green knitted fabric inside.

"Weasley jumpers," Ron explained. Harry looked up to see his friend red faced but smiling. "I was always embarrassed by them, you know. But Mum means well, and they're warm. Even if mine always _is_ maroon. She won't listen when I say I don't like the colour. She likes to keep us colour-coded, I suppose," Ron whined slightly, though the boy was already tearing into a bag of what looked to be Bertie Bott's beans.

"It's great, mate!" Harry said, running his fingers over the golden 'H' in the middle of his new green jumper." He almost missed the homemade fudge underneath, which meant just as much. Harry was still surprised sometimes that he never went hungry, that there were actually people around him trying to get him to eat _more_. That he'd not have to hide food so that he wouldn't be hungry later if his relatives' moods changed.

Wanting to think of happier things, Harry's eyes landed on a cylindrical, messily wrapped package that he knew immediately was Hagrid's. Inside, he was surprised to find a very skillfully carved wooden flute, and tried it experimentally. He was rubbish at it, of course, but it did have clear notes. Harry felt bad, knowing that he hadn't visited his first friend much since his life had changed. He was relieved that Hagrid still thought of him and resolved to see his large friend more often.

Harry grabbed a package that was clearly a book next, knowing that it would be from Hermione. He was surprised when opening it that it was from Tonks instead. _The Inner and Outer You: Meditation and Transformation, Beginner's Edition._ She also enclosed a deck of exploding snap cards. There was a note that said "The cards are because I thought you might not have a pack, and because I can't be the one that gives you the most boring gift."

Harry smiled again when the next package he unwrapped was a box of chocolate frogs from Hermione. With dentist parents, sweets were a special treat to her, and a very nice gift, Harry thought. People, even his friends, could be unpredictable sometimes.

The final, lumpy package, didn't have a card on the outside, but Harry rifled through the silky silvery fabric until a note fell out.

"James Potter left this in my care, and I am sure that he would still want you to have it. Remember always that he loved you very much and that children are blameless in the feuding of adults. Enjoy this and use it well. P.S. Perhaps this would not be something to show your father."

Harry didn't recognize the handwriting, but thought the note was very strange. Harry didn't try to think much about what James Potter, the man who raised him as his son for a little more than a year, would have thought of him. It was strange to care so much about an oddly colored cloak anyway, Harry thought as he let the silky material flow over his fingers. Why would a new cloak would be something to hide from his- from Professor Snape, even if it was a strange color? Harry put it around his shoulders to look at the mirror. Harry's squeal as he dropped the cloak was more than enough to get Ron's attention.

"Blimey, Harry. That's an invisibility cloak," Ron gasped.

"I- yeah, that makes sense. It was just surprising you know. Seeing my head floating there."

"Put it on again," Ron urged.

Harry stared at his body-less head as Ron continued encouragements. It was much less unsettling as he covered his head as well. His excitement rose. What would he even do with such a cloak? Would James Potter really still want him to have it, he wondered. Harry neatly folded the cloak and placed it aside. With a sudden smile, Harry grabbed an envelope with handwriting that he recognized from class. He had almost missed the letter under the presents, and he had been a little disappointed when he hadn't seen something that he was expecting. Professor Snape sending a card at least was nice, and more than he should expect, really.

"Harry," the outside of the letter read. Inside it said, "Your presents are in your room. You may join me for a morning meal when you are ready."

Harry packed away all of his new things as quickly as he can. He was excited than he could explain to go down to his very own room to see what the professor had gotten him. _Presents_ , more than one present! He threw on his new jumper over the pajamas he still wore, jammed his feet into his shoes, and ran out the door, barely telling Ron where he was going. He dashed back a moment later to grab a small package that he hadn't left out for the elves, preferring to deliver it himself, if he felt he should.

*****Severus*****

The boy arrived, red-faced and smiling, either from running or from the cold. The child hadn't even put socks on with his trainers. "Go to your room and put on your dressing gown and slippers, and then come back, child," Severus Snape instructed.

"Dressing gown and slippers?" the boy asked before smiling again, an adorable little smile with only slightly crooked teeth. They could have his teeth fixed if the boy wished, though Severus had never done so for his own. Wasn't much use when the boy probably didn't even have all of his adult teeth yet. "Are those my Christmas presents?" the boy asked. _Presents?_ A robe and slippers were simple necessities of a Scotland winter, especially in the dungeons, not to be revered as presents by the boy.

"No. They are simply another thing that you needed. Now put them on before you get a chill," Severus instructed in what he thought was a kind manner. The child scampered to follow his instructions, immerging back into the room as he was fastening the dressing gown around himself over the jumper that Severus thought was new. "The jumper was a Christmas present, I presume?"

"Yes, from Ron's mum, Mrs. Weasley. And fudge. And I got a flute from Hagrid, and sweets from Hermione, even though she almost never has sweets because her parents are dentists. And a book from Tonks, and a deck of exploding snap cards," the child rattled off his gifts as if the trinkets were the greatest things he had ever received, which was sadly not far off from truth, Severus considered.

Severus could hardly comment because he was not one who garnered many meaningful gifts from associates. He was not a man who had many friends. He would receive gifts from many students or their parents, but that was closer to a bribe than a sign of friendship. The Malfoys had always sent something, but that was a difficult- relationship. Albus would send something as well, more often than not some horrible socks. The heads of houses exchanged gifts. Severus always gave the others their alcohol of choice, and he usually received something similar in return. Severus generally thought that it would be more convenient to stop the gift exchanging altogether. That way he would just be glad that most of his charges were away for the break and purchase his own alcohol and assorted trinkets.

This year, however, there was an unexpected addition, a gift from Miss Tonks. Severus had unwrapped the package that morning almost reverently. _The Inner and Outer You: Occlumency and Application in Legilimency, Animagi, and Metamorphmagi, Advanced Edition._ The damned witch wouldn't give up. Perhaps he would humour her enough to try again at some point. The connection to meditation and Legilimency or Occlumency could be interesting. The gift also included was a bottle of red wine and a note, "An entirely selfish gift, I admit. It is my favorite, and I intend to drink half of it with you." Gifts of alcohol generally seemed impersonal and meaningless, encouraging an overindulgence that he was realizing he should engage in less often than he had previously. This gift, however, touched him more than he was willing to admit.

For Merlin's sake, it shouldn't be touching. The witch was _admitting_ that she was giving him a gift that she planned on consuming half of herself. But he had to admit, if only to himself that he found it flattering each time the young woman sought out his company, when she doubtless could be spending her time with someone more- her own age. Someone more- pleasant. Severus hadn't even gotten her a gift. He had considered it, because he thought the sentimental witch would get something for the boy, but he hadn't even considered that she would get something for him.

Severus took a deep breath, shaking himself from his thoughts and focusing on Harry again. It had also not escaped his notice that the boy brought a small package with him that he had left on a table near the door of Severus's chambers. A gift for _him_ , perhaps. "On the sofa," Severus directed, "Go ahead and open them as you like," he said, telling himself that he most certainly wasn't nervous about what the child would think about his gifts. The child had better be grateful for whatever he was given, and Severus was by now familiar enough with the boy to know that the child would be polite and genuinely enjoy almost anything.

Harry went first for the bag of sweets that Severus hadn't even bothered taking out of the Honeydukes bag. It was an assortment of the most popular varieties and some classic chocolate frogs as well. Severus wondered if the child had started collecting the cards, as Severus did as a child. "Thank you," the child repeatedly gushed, examining each and every sweet from the bag as if he hadn't already been given too many sweets this morning, and as if there wouldn't be meals full of yet more sweets that evening. The child was depressingly grateful for such trivial gifts.

"They are just sweets, child. Open a different one," Severus instructed, growing uncomfortable with the child's appreciation of what amounted to a few handfuls of chocolate.

The child promptly complied and was soon tearing into the largest properly wrapped gift. "A wizard's chess set- wow," the boy said quickly, starting a running commentary of the presents he was tearing into, "I know I'm not very good yet, but Ron's set never trusts me. I swear they try to tell me things that makes Ron win sometimes," the boy chattered.

"These aren't very talkative, though their charms haven't worn off. It was my grandfather's- your great- grandfather's," Severus broke in, "Possibly generations before that as well, though I am not sure." Severus studied the boy, quickly sure that he was right to give the child something with a bit of history. He thought the boy had stopped even blinking as he gingerly touched the old set. Severus had only ever kept the old thing because he admired a good chess set.

"I- what if I break it?" the child asked, voice squeakier than usual.

"You can't break wizard's chess pieces, child. They break and mend themselves in moments. And I highly doubt you could manage to break the board either."

"What was he like?" the child asked quietly.

Severus held back a sigh, "I cannot tell you much first hand, because I never met the man. He disapproved of my mother's choice to marry a muggle, but my father was a vile man, so I can hardly hold that against him," Severus admitted bluntly, noting the concern in the small boy's eyes. Concern for _him_ , when the child was still undersized for his age despite his genetics. "He never actually disowned his daughter, but they parted ways. He did pay for my attendance to Hogwarts and left me as his heir when he died while I was in my sixth year," Severus explained, knowing that his history lecture was about as heart-felt as Binns's were, but the child seemed to hang on his every word regardless. "I was able to pursue research and live comfortably," Severus finished, not including all of the trouble his seventeen-year-old self committed himself to. But he was out of that now, finally. And beyond that he was the guardian, the _parent_ , of the Boy-Who-Lived. "Open another present then," Severus urged, ready for a distraction.

"And your… parents?" the boy asked timidly.

"Both dead," what all Severus said. "I have no other living relatives," he said.

The child looked lost for a moment but nodded, placing his inherited chess set carefully on the table before excitedly but carefully opening the next present. Selecting gifts for the child had been difficult, as he felt that he barely knew the boy. What did the child like beside quidditch? And he had already given Harry a broom.

"A snitch?" the child asked, clearly delighted.

"They are like the ones you use in training, so that it can be caught and released multiple times, as opposed to the in-game snitch that is nearly useless after its first catching. This does have a case that will summon the snitch back to it with a touch of the wand, to use if you are unable to find the snitch and you have not yet mastered the summoning charm." This was a real training device, Severus told himself, not like the little toy that _James Potter_ used to flaunt around, a snitch that never would go far from him, making catches look effortless because they were easy catches. Potter wasn't even a seeker, so it was beyond him why the boy would practice a useless skill. Severus had almost not been able to bring himself to buy anything similar for the child, but he was at a loss for what Harry would enjoy, and it would be helpful at least. Though not as important as academics, there was some value in quidditch prowess.

"Thank you, sir—it's great, really great. I'm sure I'll be so much better before the next game thanks to this. I'll practice more often too," the child assured him.

"School work first," Severus instructed. "And you needn't be overly grateful for everything given to you. Gifts should and _will_ be a common occurrence of your childhood," said, thinking about how it must have been no such thing for the child before coming to Hogwarts. Severus caught his breath as Harry turned to the last, small parcel, one that he was least sure that the boy would appreciate.

"From the Magical Menagerie?" the boy questioned. "You put a credit there for me?" the boy asked. "That was very nice," he said, the boy did look a little confused.

"Older students beyond first year are permitted a second pet if one is a delivery owl. I thought you might enjoy a snake because of your ability to converse with them, and that you might want to pick out your own. You could not officially own a second pet until this summer, because first years are only allowed one pet." This was… difficult.

"Whether you purchase a serpent or not, I still advise not mentioning that particular ability to anyone whom you do not trust _absolutely_. You may wish to keep it in your quarters here. And it would be perfectly alright for you to instead select items suitable for your owl with the credit. And so you know, there are more clothes for you in your room as well, but I did not consider those worthy of being Christmas presents, strictly speaking, as they are necessities that you were still lacking. Any clothes that you dislike can be exchanged if you tell me before school is back in session," Severus said quickly, not wanting to focus on the idea of a snake. For all that the boy seemed to like Salazar, the child was a Gryffindor, not a Slytherin, and might even be insulted by the suggestion.

"Thank you, sir. For the clothes too. But if Salazar wouldn't be insulted, I would really like to get a snake," the child said smiling before turning timid again, "I- have something for you. Ron helped me owl order for it. I hope you like it," the boy said nervously.

Severus reminded himself to be polite regardless, as the child had been regarding the snake. Severus wasn't yet sure if the child would really want such a thing. He wasn't a man that dealt with these social niceties often. Severus opened the lumpy package handed to him, half-way watching the child in front of him as he did so. Harry sort of hovered next to him rather than sitting back down on the sofa.

"It's a book about snakes," the child needlessly explained the moment Severus had the present unwrapped, "I thought maybe we could talk about what's in it, and I could ask Salazar if the things in the book were really true. I guess that's silly. And there's treats for Salazar that I think he's supposed to like. They're mostly made of insects, I think, and they are supposed to be okay for him. I was explaining to him about Christmas, mostly about gifts and a break from school, and he didn't say, but I think he wanted a gift. I didn't know what to get you, and I thought about something related to potions, and I heard about self-stirring rods, but I thought you'd have one or not like them. I mean, I think they are really cool, but maybe not good enough for your high level stuff."

"Harry," Severus said to get his attention. "Thank you for the gift. It was very thoughtful of you," Severus said, watching the fidgeting boy smile at him, depressingly below eye-level despite Severus being seated. "Now, I assume that you would like to spend some time with your Weasley friends, yes? You may come and go as you please, of course" Severus said awkwardly.

"Yeah, Ron will love these. Maybe I'll even have a chance to beat him with my new chess set, the boy said, gathering up his gifts and hurrying out the door with only a few more needless mutterings of appreciation. Severus leaned back in his chair, looking at the book the child had gotten for him, a reasonably legitimate looking volume. Severus found himself wondering what Salazar would say and why he hadn't taken the opportunity to ask Harry to speak to the snake for him earlier. He was a bit jealous of the ability, he supposed, and yet it still seemed so strange and off-putting.

Severus sighed, relieved that he did not have to be on his best behavior around the child for a moment, now that the boy had left his quarters. He knew that the boy would be back around often, at least to gather new clothes that he hadn't seen yet.

Harry had come and gone from their rooms more frequently during the holidays, perhaps due to the lack of Slytherin students in the halls, or perhaps just because his schedule was significantly emptier. Severus knew that the boy had been speaking to Salazar, because he still asked every time before going into that room because it was also Severus's lab. The child had even convinced him to let Salazar roam their quarters at times, which had not ever occurred to Severus previously.

Sometimes Severus and Harry talked briefly when the boy visited, and sometimes the boy spent more time in his room. At times, Harry would sit on the couch as Severus sat in his chair, both doing various work or reading in near silence. Severus couldn't help thinking that the rooms felt unnaturally quiet whenever Harry- or Miss Tonks weren't around.

*****Harry*****

After leaving the dungeons, Harry returned to Gryffindor tower, thoughts returning to the mysterious invisibility cloak and the desire to test it out. He didn't know where it came from really. From the note, he suspected Dumbledore, because he wasn't sure who else would write all of that. He could probably manage to see some of Professor Dumbledore's writing to confirm- or he could ask his- Professor Snape, but Harry wasn't sure what the professor would do.

Harry walked briskly through the common room as Ron was distracted talking to the twins. Running just would have caught their attention, and Harry didn't want to have to answer any questions. As much has he liked Ron, Harry wanted this first test to be just his, especially if he might turn in the cloak to the professor and likely get it confiscated anyway. Harry almost stuffed the cloak in his pockets to walk out of the common room again, but instead decided to throw it on, making sure that all of him was covered. He was actually small enough that the cloak was dragging quite a bit, which he would have to be careful of. He could probably fit Ron, and maybe Hermione too under here with him, but not this time. If Ron came up to their dormitory before he was back, he would figure out that Harry was trying out the cloak, and he probably would understand. Harry would make it up to him later. It was still the middle of the day, so Harry didn't really _need_ to use the new cloak to sneak around, but the desire to test it out was almost irresistible.

Harry started wandering from the Gryffindor common room, down a few hallways and less used stairs. He knew he had heard Hermione talk about another route to the library and wondered if this would take him there. He looked into several classrooms that didn't seem to be filled with anything but dust and some old books. Hermione would be shocked to see any books just left out for years. Harry was wondering why the castle even _had_ so many unused rooms that seemed to be set up as classrooms, when he opened the door into a room that was entirely empty except for a large, ornate looking mirror.

Shrugging to himself, Harry walked up to the mirror, still excited to see his lack of reflection because of the cloak. When he actually stood in front of it, Harry barely glanced at it before spinning around looking for Professor Snape. No one was there. Harry threw his hands out, feeling around to make sure that nothing was there, invisible like he was. It would be just like Hogwarts to have a mirror that just showed invisible people. No one was there. Unsettled but curious, Harry turned back to the mirror. He could see himself there, even though he shouldn't have been visible at all under the cloak. His reflection moved just like he did, as if it was a normal mirror. But there was his professor, just behind him. When Harry looked closer, he saw the attention and affection in the man's eyes that he didn't think anyone ever saw in real live on the very private professor.

There were two other people there too, a man and a woman. The woman stood behind Harry, opposite Professor Snape, and the man stood on her other side. Harry couldn't help but recognize the man first, because the face was so like the one that he wore for eleven years. James Potter. And then- yes, the woman had his eyes, so she had to be his mother, Lily Potter. And all three of the adults were looking at him and smiling. Harry backed away from the strange mirror, bolting from the room. He threw off the cloak and shoved it in his pockets, because it wasn't like it really mattered in the middle of the day, and he didn't want to trip.

Harry dashed up to his room, glad to see Ron there. This was too weird for one muggle-raised wizard to understand.

"Where were you? I could have sworn I'd seen you come up here-" Ron started.

"I need to show you something," Harry panted, turning and hurrying back out the door. Showing the mirror was the only way, because he wasn't sure how he would describe it anyway.

Harry was pleased in how easily he found the correct room again, and led Ron right up to the strange mirror, avoiding looking at it himself. "What do you see Ron?"

Ron's mouth dropped open. "I- I'm holding the House Cup! And I've got badges like Bill and Charlie. I guess I'm Head Boy and Quidditch captain!" his friend exclaimed. And Bill and Charlie are shaking my hands, and the rest of my family is there too. Everyone's older- oh except Ginny, and I guess Mum and Dad. I don't know how the mirror fits them all. And my favorite uncle Bilius, well great uncle really. Oh, and you and Hermione are there too! I- It's a great mirror, Harry," the boy said, turning to face his friend. "But it's weird. I thought at first- but I guess it can't be the future because my Uncle Bilius is dead," the child said, looking more solemn. "So- I guess it's what we want to see? What do you see? Er- if you don't mind," he asked, stepping away from the mirror to let his friend stand there.

Harry stepped back up to the mirror, seeing the same images he had seen before, but still not sure what to say. "I see me. I'm my own age, maybe a little taller I guess. But my mum's there. And - Professor Snape. My other- um, James Potter is next to my mum too. And everyone's smiling," Harry described.

"I saw him smile," Ron said, "After you were okay in the quidditch game. And he'd been watching you the whole time, protecting you. He is your _dad_ , you know. He cares- he has to. I think maybe he's just not very good at showing it. I mean, you probably don't have to keep calling him Professor Snape. I reckon you could just start calling him Dad or something, and he wouldn't yell or anything about it."

Harry nodded but said nothing, pondering over his friend's thoughts as the two boys wandered the halls, Ron trying on the cloak as well. If Harry was quieter than usual for the rest of the day, even during the fabulous Christmas dinner, Ron didn't comment.

*****Severus*****

Severus hadn't realized that he had been dozing in his armchair until wards alerted him that someone was at his portrait door. He was momentarily reaching panic, wand in hand when the boy walked into his chambers. Severus forced himself to not react, to unobtrusively slide his wand back up his sleeve unto it's holder on his right forearm.

"Yes?" Severus prompted Harry, still trying to slow down his heart after his frantic awakening. One did not simply _relax_ after living the life of a Death Eater and then a spy. The child looked unusually nervous as if he had done something wrong. He was not making eye contact, though that was not unusual for the boy.

"I got something for Christmas that I'm not sure if I should get to keep," the child rushed out.

Was this some other idiosyncrasy that the muggles had instilled? Thinking he wasn't deserving of certain possessions? "I do not intend to revoke privileges to any items you are given unless they are dangerous or otherwise significantly against the interest of your development, or for shorter periods of time for punishment if it is suitable from your actions. Did someone give you something dangerous?" Severus finished slowly, now hoping that it was as simple as some childish joke products that were on Filch's banned list. Of course, as a responsible professor, he would be forced to confiscate such an item… he supposed… at least until the end of term. Severus did occasionally enjoy the aggravation of the unpleasant old man.

"Not dangerous," the boy said, thrusting into Severus's hands what seemed to be fabric messily crammed back into its wrapping with a note on top. As the fabric slipped through his fingers out of the destroyed wrapping, Severus quickly surmised what it was and even its origin. After all, Severus was a quick-thinking man who had suspected this cloak's existence for nearly two decades. It explained some of their trouble-making

Severus haven't been sure which one of them had owned it, and he had suspected Black, but Severus now supposed it was Potter after all. An invisibility cloak, highly expensive due to its rarity. And this one had held up remarkable well for being at least a few decades old. After years of use at the hands of children, Severus couldn't find a single snag in the fabric.

Severus ruthlessly beat down the anger threatening to rise at the previous owner. His thoughts led him to all the times that this cloak must have been used as part of tormenting him, all of the times his teenage self was left with no proof of the injustice or witnesses of the misdeeds. But the man was _dead_ , and if Severus were honest, he very much did not wish his _own_ character to be judged based on his actions of more than a decade ago. Severus had done worse than a few pranks.

At reading the note, however, Severus's ire rose again. _Albus Dumbledore_. What kind of 'wise old man' gives a priceless magical article to an eleven-year-old with the instructions to have fun and don't tell his- father?

Severus realized that the boy was talking as he was in his own musings. "-know that you didn't get along with him, and it's not like he's a relative, so I'm sure he wouldn't _really_ want me to have it, no matter what the note said. And I know I shouldn't have used it without knowing where it came from, but Ron knew what it was, and it was interesting. Everything magical is so interesting and I'm so behind everyone raised in the magical world, and behind Hermione too because she reads so much…" the boy trailed off, perhaps finally out of words. "Are you mad?" the child even asked.

 _Mad?_ He certainly was angry at Albus, but he didn't believe that he was at the boy, which would have been a surprising state of affairs for anyone to know, seeing as he was Severus Snape, the dread of all Hogwarts students. He was frankly surprised that the boy would even bring him such a thing, knowing there was a chance that it would be taken away. "You are correct to say that you shouldn't use or even touch mysterious gifts that you do not know the origin of. I did ask for your Christmas gifts to be monitored, to make sure that nothing sinister was given to you by a nefarious source under the guise of a holiday present. But I admit, I did not want to frighten you needlessly by bringing that necessity to your attention. I see now that it was ill-advised not to alert you of possible danger, a mistake I will endeavor not to make again." _There, those were some very controlled statements, caring even,_ he thought to himself.

Severus contemplated the cloak in his hands before holding it back out to the boy. _Hell must be freezing over_ , he thought wryly. "This can be a very powerful defensive tool, better than disillusionment charms in many ways, and you won't learn those for a few years still. You should not feel invulnerable in it, because you can still be smelled, say by a _troll_ or detected with magic. But, as you have such a propensity for danger, I would be remiss if I confiscated such a valuable resource. You will now keep it with you at all times, ready to use it should a need arise," Severus spoke slowly. The child tentatively reached out and accepted the cloak. "I also would not want to be perceived as punishing you for bringing this to me, which was very much the right thing to do, understood?" The boy nodded eagerly.

"Seeing as this came from the Headmaster, the meddling man, I am assured that it was untampered with, but that cannot be said for most mysterious packages. Perhaps your gifts should be opened in these quarters in the future for added security," Severus said. And because he enjoyed watching Harry open them. "However, if I hear of you using this for some _prank_ or unkind act, provoked or not, you will not like whatever consequences we agree on, perhaps suspension of flying privileges. Understood?"

"Yes sir," the child chimed, not meeting his eyes but running hands over the perfect fabric.

"I take it that you have already tested the cloak?" Severus asked. The child nodded, still looking nervous again. "I will assume that you did not already use it for some missdeed, so I will ask instead what you found in your wanderings around the castle." Severus asked pointedly, knowing that there was something more that the child wasn't saying and thinking that he just needed to prod a bit further. He hoped that the child hadn't been around pranking after all. But it was probably just a trip to the kitchens for more sweets.

"I-found a mirror. I guess it shows you what you want to happen, or what you wish could happen but know it can't," the child rambled. Severus immediately thought of the Mirror of Erised, which Dumbledore had so conveniently mentioned to Severus that he would be bringing into the castle for some plan of his, which Severus suspected was connected to the stone. What the hell was he thinking leaving it where an eleven-year-old could stumble upon?

Harry was still speaking, "I- I think I saw my mum, but I guess I'm not sure that she looked like that. I mean, I don't think I could possibly remember, so maybe it's just what I think she would look like," the child rambled, unknowing that Severus then felt like a stake had been shoved into his heart. The child didn't even know what Lily, what his mother looked like. Severus supposed he really shouldn't be surprised, since the boy was raised by bitter old Petunia.

"I have some pictures," Severus managed, rising from his seat quickly and walking to his bedroom, rifling through a bottom desk drawer before pulling out a worn envelope. "She was younger in them, but you can get an idea," he said, reentering the room and thrusting the pictures in the boy's direction. "I am sure there are later pictures of her somewhere, perhaps Professor McGonagall would be able to find some for you," Severus told the child.

Harry opened the small package, arms visibly shaking. The child looked at the first picture, one of Lilly and Severus at just about Harry's age, each holding their first Hogwarts letters. It was a muggle photograph taken by Mr. Evans, another person who Harry probably knew little about. The picture included a rare smile for young Severus Snape, crooked teeth and all, happy with his letter and hopeful for his life. The child stared at the photo, slowly bringing it closer to his nose, Severus supposed to see better, to subconsciously be closer.

"There is more than just the one in there. You can have them," Severus said, hardly cognizant of what he was saying. That statement brought Harry's bright green eyes up to meet Severus's darker ones. Severus could see that the boy was close to tears, but there was a large smile on the child's face. Severus was very unfamiliar with happy tears, if that was even what those were. Relief, happiness, sadness, they were all occasionally the same.

Severus would have never thought that he could give those pictures away, but the child was so transfixed. It wasn't like he didn't have more pictures, perhaps even copies of some of the ones the child held, and other trinkets of his time with Lily in his vault at Gringotts. And in truth, Severus didn't look at them very often these days. He had purged everything from his living space years ago except for that envelope of pictures from younger, happier times, because it did not do to dwell on what never could have been. Even if the very existence of the child in front of him seemed to scream what could have been.

*****Harry*****

 _Pictures?_ Harry thought. He wasn't sure why he hadn't thought to ask around for pictures of his mother earlier, but he probably wouldn't have had the nerve to ask Professor Snape about them anyway. And then they were in his hand, and he was opening the worn, apparently old or often opened envelope very carefully, not wanting to touch the pictures themselves except for the very edges, careful not to damage anything. There she was, only about his age, but still looking the same as the woman in the mirror. And the boy, so similar to himself except for the eyes. Harry had gotten used to the way he looked now pretty quickly. It felt right, after all. But seeing his- his professor look so similar was still surprising. He stared at young Severus Snape just as much as his young mother.

"There is more than just the one in there. You can have them," _Have them? For himself?_ This was more precious even than any of the gifts he had been given for Christmas, and he was given them that easily.

"Really?" Harry asked, almost not believing it. "I'll keep them really nice, I promise," Harry assured him.

"I'm sure you will," his professor said in what Harry thought was reassurance.

Those pictures must have been what gave him the confidence to ask, "I- what should I call you? I mean, I know you're Professor Snape, especially in class. And you're always 'Sir'. But I- er Ron was saying- and Tonks was saying that I should ask. But 'Sir' is fine, really," Harry rambled, wondering if he should just run to the door while he was ahead today. Professor Snape could even be mad enough at the question that he would want to take the pictures away. To ask a question like that when the professor was being so nice and hadn't even taken away the cloak… But even as Harry worried, he didn't actually think his professor would take anything away from him or punish him over the question, even if he was mad on the inside.

"Father," Professor Snape said after a very long pause. "I think calling me Father would be appropriate if you wish. If you would like."

"Okay," Harry said, smiling in his relief. He thought he might have caught a twitch of the lip on his professor- on his father's face as well. "Thank you- for everything, and the pictures," Harry said again, lifting the bundle of cloak and pictures in his arms. "I guess I'm going to- go," He said, backing away to the door, feeling uncomfortable even though he was happier than he had been in a while. His father only nodded. "Thank you again," Harry called as he escaped out the portrait door.

*****Severus*****

Severus Snape stared at the door that had swung closed minutes ago now, and he still hadn't moved. The child wanted to call him something. Harry wanted to recognize him as a- parent, and he had agreed. It really said something about Severus's own mental state if the stunted and emotionally abused eleven-year-old was better at dealing with their new relationship than he was. How was that even possible?

 _Father_.

His own father had been 'Father' on good days and simply 'Sir' on the bad ones. 'Please Sir, don't-" was more like what the man had really been called.

But there was nothing wrong with the names itself, and there were not many other suitable substitutes. He didn't foresee either of them being comfortable with "Dad." Severus found himself wondering if he should already be opening some of his Christmas scotch. Minerva had sent a nice bottle.

But Severus found himself thinking instead about the bottle of wine and the promise from Tonks that she would drink half of it herself, and wondered when their next meeting would be. He would need to be sure to have a Christmas gift for her before then.

 **A/N: Ah, this chapter was so easy to plan but very difficult to actually write and edit. My favorite piece was re-imagining what the boys would see in the Mirror of Erised. I liked Ron still seeing himself being praised, but now also seeing his friends and family around him (and how little sisters never grow up in their big brother's minds). And Harry, I think would still be a curious about James Potter, especially after receiving the invisibility cloak from him. The child just wants everything and everyone in his life to be happy. Let me know if you liked it! Please Review! Maybe you'll see what Severus would see in the mirror one day- hmm?**


	8. Chapter 8 Gifts and Skills

Chapter 8- Gifts and Skills

 _What was he doing?_ How would he have any idea what to buy for a witch? A still teenaged-witch? Why did he feel the need to follow some archaic gift giving custom? And why would hers need to be… personal? In the last two days he'd finished reading the damned book she got him, and stared at that bottle of wine more than he would admit. He almost _wanted_ to try another lesson with the incorrigible witch. He was crazy enough to believe her that it might work. And he- enjoyed the testing process- the academic aspect of exploring a new branch of magic, that is.

Severus stared at windows of stores that he hardly knew existed. Could he get away with a book gift as she did? Of course, she would know that he liked books from the large collection in his rooms, whereas, he was fairly certain this particular witch only read when there was sufficient need to do so. Severus had already spent two hours looking through book shops hoping something would be suitable enough without success. If not a book, what then? The only gifts he ever gave were alcohol and books, and that was all he ever received in return, aside from whatever monstrosity Albus gave each year. That was all the witch gave him in fact- a book and alcohol, but hers had _meaning_. Why did he have some crazed idea to get her anything else? What did witches enjoy anyway? Clothing? Jewelry? Nymphadora Tonks was no typical witch.

Scanning windows for an additional hour with growing frustration made Severus stop before the first promising display he had seen that day. Before he could lose his nerve, Severus entered the door and walked toward the nearest employee he saw, all the while thinking that this was far too full of Gryffindor foolishness and Hufflepuff sentimentality. This was an absolutely terrible idea, he knew. _Was it too practical? Too personal?_ Severus concentrated, raising his wand to his temple as he rifled through pockets to find parchment. He touched his wand to the page and an image flowed across the sheet. He asked the clerk, "Could you find a selection to fit this young woman based on this image?"

*****Hogwarts Castle*****

"Tonks?" Harry asked, uncertainly, stepping into the door of their classroom, still not sure if he should refer to his teacher with just that name, despite her insistence.

"Yeah, hun?" she said, looking up from pulling off her boots, since the wouldn't fit when she changed her form for their lesson.

"Thanks a lot for the Christmas gift. I've read almost the whole book by now, and it's not too hard to understand. I think it'll help even," he said with a smile. "And Ron and I have played exploding snap with my new deck, and it's great. I'm really sorry I didn't get you anything," Harry finished in a rush, looking anywhere except Miss Tonks.

"It's fine Harry. Don't worry about it. Kids get a pass on most gift-giving, really. Did you get something for you dad? I could probably smuggle you out to a store if you wanted to get something now," She offered.

Harry smiled this time. His father had seemed to enjoy the gift, and they'd been using it already, "Yeah, I got him a book on snakes. He's got a snake named Salazar and I'd ask…" Harry cut off, frowning. He wasn't supposed to be really careful about telling people that he could talk to snakes, his father had warned him to only tell if he was sure he could trust the person. He hadn't actually told Hermione and Ron, not because he didn't trust them, but just because it hadn't really come up. "You see, it's weird, but I can talk to snakes," Harry settled on saying. Harry watched his teacher's face as she looked surprised for a bit but then smiled. He continued, "And I thought I would talk to Salazar and ask about the things the book said. I mean it sounds silly…"

"It sounds great, Harry. I am sure that you and your father will really enjoy it together. It's a very interesting ability. So, what was your favorite Christmas gift, that you got? And don't lie and say it was mine."

"Pro- Father gave me some pictures. Of my mum and some with him as a kid too. Eighteen of them. He actually gave them to me on Boxing Day, and I don't think he thinks of it as a Christmas present, but they're really great," Harry confided, almost not believing that he was telling so much to a grown-up. He really liked Miss Tonks though.

She was young enough to remember being a kid, and listened to what he said like it was important, but she was old enough that he was sure she wouldn't tease him over enjoying pictures of his mum. "And he gave me a chess set that was my great grandfather's. It's really old and neat! And lots of other stuff- a snitch and oh, I'm going to get my own snake! Though I think we're going to wait until summer, and lots of sweets. And I got a Weasley sweater, just like all the Weasley kids, and a flute from Hagrid. Oh, and Professor Dumbledore passed on something to me- an invisibility cloak- from James Potter."

"Really? Wow, Harry, you know the gifts are good when an invisibility cloak doesn't make the top of the list. Wish I had one. My training officer in the aurors, he actually has two, paranoid old coot," she laughed. "And speaking of training, ready for practice?" his teacher prompted.

"Yeah," Harry nodded excitedly. Working with Miss Tonks was better than his other classes, and she always said he was doing well and never gave him homework or tests- or at least, he didn't think of reading that book as being like homework.

"So, I'm trusting that if I teach you this, you won't use it to get someone else in trouble, yes?" the witch asked smiling. Harry's excitement grew.

"Okay, yeah. What is it?" no other teacher had taught him something that potentially interesting before.

"We're going to work on turning you into someone else. All your features need to be different. In fact, it's easier just to pick someone that you know well, ideally someone about your own size and age, and gender. We don't want to be too difficult here this first time. Can you think of someone? You need to be able to picture them exactly in your mind. Later, we'll work on becoming someone that isn't really real, but that's harder, trust me."

Harry thought first of Ron, but Ron was very tall. There had to be someone easier. "Got it," he answered.

"Okay, first trial-run. The hair and eyes are easy. Focus on skin color and facial shape. Details are important for a disguise. Only things that would stick out of robes really matter. Ready for your first try? You can make adjustments from there," Miss Tonks instructed excitedly. Harry appreciated her enthusiasm.

Harry glanced at the mirror that Miss Tonks had conjured and then closed his eyes. That helped him focus. He knew that he tended to scrunch up his face the same way Tonks did, even though she was the first to admit that it wasn't really necessary. Harry opened his eyes to see grey eyes under blond hair looking back at him. He'd gotten the nose right too, he thought.

"Wow- is that Narcissa's boy? Um, Draco Malfoy?"

"Yeah. How'd you know?" Harry asked, still focused on his reflection. He closed his eyes for a briefer moment, reopening them when the chin was narrowed, sharpened the way that looked right.

"He looks a lot like his father. He's actually my cousin, you know. On our mothers' side," Tonks said, making Harry spin around to face her. Her cousin? "I've never met the boy though. My mother was disowned from her family for marrying a muggleborn, my father, before I was ever born- and a lot before he was born, so I never met him."

Harry considered his sometimes rival. "So he probably grew up hearing all the pure-blood's better than muggleborn stuff?"

"Yeah, I'm sure he was. The Black family, that's our mothers' family, and the Malfoy family are known for generations of it. But, my mother heard it all too, and she figured out the truth as she got older. The way my dad tells it, it was quite a scandal for the Slytherin pureblood witch to date a Hufflepuff muggleborn," Tonks laughed. "Clearly her family thought it was a big deal to disown her over it."

"Did all of her family turn on her then?" Harry asked, wishing he hadn't asked something so personal the moment he said it.

"Almost," his teacher whispered. Harry remained silent. "She had a cousin who didn't, but then he turned out to be on the wrong side of things too. I liked him and it was really rough. I'm not really sure that's a great story now though, Harry. Maybe another time?" Harry nodded quickly, knowing that he wouldn't ask again. Her family wasn't any of his business, and he wasn't really sure why he asked in the first place. Maybe just because he understood being rejected from family, because he was by the Dursleys. "Great disguise though, if I had to guess. I don't know the kid, but you must be spot on." Harry studied the mirror again, trying to make one of Malfoy's haughty looks. When he tried, he couldn't picture one though- Harry wasn't actually sure if he'd seen Malfoy give one of those looks in months.

*****Severus*****

Severus was pacing his own quarters, nervous for absolutely no valid reason. He kept glancing towards the large box to one side of his couch. He could always destroy the thing and pretend he hadn't been to that effort. It was completely ridiculous for a man in his thirties to- no, it was not strange, just a perfunctory exchange of gift, necessary because she had bestowed one upon him first. It was _her_ fault really. It didn't matter that instead of a nice safe, boring book, he had gotten the witch shoes.

 _Shoes?_ Shoes that would fit her base form in fact. The foolish witch didn't even own any, always going about in those oversized slippers, a tripping hazard when the witch was a danger enough by herself. Severus thought of the image he had made from memory that still resided in his pocket, of the witch showing him her slightly large feet.

"Did you like my gift?" the witch asked without preamble upon barging into his rooms around her usual time. She had caught him still pacing his floor instead of sitting, calm and collecting in his chair with a book as he tried to be. Severus drifted over to his book case, selecting a book at random that he hoped showed how little he cared about her presence in his rooms. "I'm ready for my bottle of wine and another transformation attempt whenever you are," the witch teased.

"Perhaps," Severus relented easily, clearly surprising the young woman in front of him.

"Really? Have you finished the book yet?"

"Of course," Severus declared, throwing off an offended air, one of his favorites.

"And you enjoyed the relating of metamorphmagus other mental and physical magics?" she asked, throwing herself onto his couch in her typical manner.

"An interesting study, yes," he admitted. If it were similar to Occlumency and Legilimency, he should not have an issue, because in those fields, he had not yet found his equal, and he had faced the two greatest known masters of their times, Albus Dumbledore and the Tom Riddle. Of course, not everyone broadcasted their abilities like those two wizards. Severus walked towards his cabinet, retrieving the bottle they had spoken of and two wine glasses. They could at least be civilized rather than drinking straight from the bottle. Also, he felt the need to do something with his hands, some reason to not look at the witch as he spoke, "You may open your gift as well," he offered stiffly, placing the glass for Tonks on the table in front of her.

"My gift?" the witch asked eagerly.

"Your auror skills of observation clearly still need some work. There is a wrapped gift, no more than a foot from the sofa you so casually flung yourself onto." Yes, criticizing the young woman was _clearly_ the best tactic when attempting friendliness.

Tonks scrambled up and to the side where her feet had been, not appearing to mind his rudeness. She leaned over the side of the couch, showing long stretches of firm thighs. No one else would ever wear _shorts_ in the dungeon. For Merlin's sake, even outside of the dungeon, it was barely warmer in Scotland in winter! Severus wondered for the first time if she kept warming charms about herself just so she could continue to annoy him, but that was completely illogical. "I love big boxes," she declared, scooting the present into her lap.

Severus studied her as she opened the box. She removed the ribbon carefully and placed it to the side, in her bag that had been slung on the floor. Then she proceeded to quickly rip into the paper, effectively reaching the box underneath and opening the lid. She gasped and smiled so enthusiastically that it had to be purely theatrical. "They're beautiful."

"The woman at the store picked them out," Severus said quickly, though in actuality he had searched longer and given more input to a salesperson than he ever had for items of his own wardrobe. He watched as Tonks removed the three pairs of shoes, a black heel that the saleswoman almost insisted on, but low enough that Severus though Tonks might not be in greater danger than usual. Second there was a pair of black- 'flats'?- a logical enough name and suitable for most occasions, Severus thought, looking at the shoes. And finally, a pair of bright purple trainers that had made Severus think of the witch the moment he saw them.

"They fit me," Tonks said, stating the obvious as she had already shoved her feet into the purple trainers. They would fit anyone within a size of what the saleswoman estimated from the image Severus provided of Tonks. "In my base form…"

"You had mentioned that you did not own any shoes that fit, and that seemed inconvenient as you seem to spend significant enough time in this manner that you might want alternatives to slippers," Severus sniffed, looking at the witch's feet rather than her face.

"Thank you," the woman said. Severus saw her feet walking closer, raising his head only just in time to see the rest of her violently flung around him as he stood awkwardly, a move that could have easily caused him to spill his wine. A hug.

Severus didn't manage a "You're welcome" until she had already released him and was trying on her other two pairs of shoes as well.

"I will submit to your metamorphmagus tutelage for a second attempt," Severus offered before immediately turning his attention to his glass, more to leave his discomfort over his gift behind them. From the corner of his eye, he could see another large smile graced the young woman's pretty face as she swung around to meet him, only stumbling slightly in the heels she now wore.

"I knew I would wear you down. It's my feminine charms. Sit," she said, sitting abruptly on the sofa (suddenly enough that Severus thought she might have been having difficulty balancing on the shoes) and gesturing him to do the same. He complied. "Place your hands on my scalp. It might help if you leaned your head in to touch as well," she instructed.

She was asking him to what- to touch his head to hers? Did she have no personal space? Severus complied with the first instruction but left her second suggestion alone, leaning no further forward than absolutely necessary to hold the brown-haired head. Tonks did not comment.

"I'm just going to grow it a few inches longer, nothing else. Try to feel the magic, alright? Close your eyes." Severus complied again, feeling ridiculous. He was crazy to think that this endeavor would work, just because he could feel a bit of magic and understand a text on the subject matter.

"Did you feel it?" the witch asked.

He grumbled and snatched his hands away, "You could have given warning."

"Try again," Tonks said, undaunted. She was a patient instructor. Harry was in good hands, Severus thought to himself.

Severus complied, and the next time, Tonks did give him warning.

"I felt it," Severus declared. The magic had been different than what he had felt weeks ago when the witch was only returning to her base form. It wasn't… sinister or unnatural, just different, not quite right, but neither was it wrong. It was wrapped in feelings and intuitions rather than reasonable deductions. Severus was very familiar with both types of magic.

"You can do it now," the witch announced, so sure of herself. "Just an inch or two to start. Think of how your hair would feel longer against your shoulders. Taking off a few extra layers of clothing might help," the witch mentioned lightly, another suggestion that would be ignored.

Severus touched the witch's hair again, this time instinctively placing one hand on her scalp and one further down the length of the hair near the ends. He nodded, feeling the magic. He knew instantly that he had been successful, and he would have known from the feeling of the magic itself even if he hadn't felt the longer, annoying hairs that had made their way down his shirt collar. He was sure that Tonks had felt the change as well, even though it was hardly visibly different when he opened his eyes to glance down.

"Very, very good," she congratulated, throwing her arms around him again, though with a curious expression when she pulled back. Severus could tell that the young woman was thinking of something else, "Did the book help? I thought you would be a book-learner. I learn much better hands on, myself. I've been learning Occlumency in auror training, but it's bloody difficult. They expect me to learn from the books, and everything is so vague. I'd love to have a _teacher_ ," the witch hinted without any subtlety.

So that was what the witch had wanted, perhaps for months, he thought. It was why she spent so much time in his rooms in the first place, gathering her courage. He couldn't blame the witch.

"There aren't many stilled enough at Legilimency themselves to actually teach Occlumency adequately," Severus replied neutrally.

" _You_ are," the obstinate woman insisted even more bluntly.

"And what makes you think that I am such a skilled Legilimens?" Severus asked, almost taunting.

He wouldn't admit how bothered he was by the idea that she only visited him so that he could be her teacher again. But on the other hand, that didn't feel right, a months long association for that goal without mentioning it. The witch didn't have that sort of long term subtlety, deception in her. So, perhaps… she genuinely preferred to seek out his company on a regular basis for months. But he was curious how she knew of his proficiency. It wasn't exactly a skill that he wanted the world know that he possessed. Even if he would never be a spy again, it wasn't wise for the world to know his secrets.

"Old Mad-Eye mentioned it once. I assume it came to his attention years ago, maybe during your trial," the witch stated off-hand.

Severus knew he must have grimaced. The brash young woman didn't shy away from sensitive topics, even before she'd had a few drinks. He had noticed that she was still nursing her first glass as he took a rather improper gulp of his second. "Yes, well, I can't imagine your opinion of me being very high if you've listened to Alastor Moody."

The witch shrugged, "I form my own opinions about people. Like I know Mad-Eye isn't crazy. You know, some higher ups in the Ministry have been hinting that they'd like him to retire. They think he isn't fit enough anymore and that his mind's half gone. I don't think he's really even that paranoid though. There actually _are_ many people out to get him," she laughed. "We're probably all just a bit touched for signing up for the job. I propose a trade, a _bet_ even," the witch said suddenly.

"A wager?" Severus asked, intrigued against his better judgement. "What would be the terms?"

"I bet that I could push you out of my mind with Occlumency before you saw a named memory, before you can… turn your hair blond and grow it to the floor," She proposed with a smirk. "It's not even very hard," she said, demonstrating the same feat for herself. "Until that time, we give each other lessons, genuinely trying to teach the other person. I need to learn for auror training anyway, and it would be a shame for you to waste such a unique skill."

"And, if I were agree to such a ridiculous arrangement, what would be the prize for a winner."

Tonks shrugged. "You can name your prize when you win. _Surely_ you believe you'll win, don't you?" the witch teased.

"I imagine you have found books are inadequate because repetition is the best teacher, in my experience. I suggest you implement whatever Occlumency techniques you have already learned," Severus advised with a smirk, raising his wand. He wouldn't go easy on her if she was asking for this.

"What?"

"Your first assessment begins. _Legilimens_." They hadn't named a memory, but it wouldn't seem sporting to try until she had better defenses.

Severus found himself staring at a little girl with blue hair. The girl was crying, and Severus could feel without even seeing it that it was because the child had been told she couldn't play outside because other people couldn't see her change her appearance. Severus left the unhappy memory.

He found a much happier piece childhood, playing quidditch or at least flying around with other wizarding children, still younger than Hogwarts age. Severus felt just the faintest tugging at his mind, that he knew was the witch trying without much success to push him out.

He hadn't even been giving her a difficult time or straying towards anything personal. He saw the witch in Hogwarts uniform, probably only a few years previous, he thought absently. Severus caught a glimpse of the potions classroom and his own sneer, and he left the memory as quickly as if he had been burned. He settled a few more moments on a more recent, safer memory of the witch in auror training. He was even impressed at the witch's dueling skills despite her clumsiness in daily life.

Severus opened his eyes to find the witch kneeling on the ground. "Giving up already?" he asked.

"Never," the young woman replied, standing and brushing aside her now rather sweaty hair. The witch had fight in her. And Severus couldn't help appreciating her determined look.

 **A/N: This chapter just completely spring up on me after almost all of the rest of the first year was finished. I was stuck on a later part, and wanted to introduce the idea of a bet, but then knew I had to back up and lay some ground work, and it was just a reminder that writing, at least for me, is really not a linear thing. That's why I like to have several chapters written ahead of my posting schedule so that I have some room to work with.**

 **Edited March 2017.**


	9. Chapter 9 Visits and Returns

Chapter 9- Visits and Returns

*****Severus*****

Students would be returning to school soon, and Severus's already limited amount of free time would virtually disappear. He had uncharacteristically been putting off seeing the Dursley household for months now. There were any number of completely logical reasons, if he thought about it. At first, he had so many other things to do because of the boy. Then, when the boy proved that he couldn't refrain from getting himself nearly killed on a regular basis, how was Severus supposed to leave the castle?

It had nothing to do with the inclination to murder the damned muggles, adults who had so abused a child. At one time he had a more sinister fear that he couldn't voice, that he would relate to the muggles, acknowledge that he would have treated the child no better and turned to abuse the same way his own father had. But he hoped he knew himself better now. Those _people_ , and his own father, were reprehensible, unforgivable, and he would _not_ be the same. If he was even more honest with himself, he didn't want to see Petunia Evans ever again, because of everything she would bring to mind.

Petunia Evans had been the prim, older girl when he was a penniless scruff of a child in patched, second-hand clothing. She was the older sister of the girl, the woman he had loved for so many years. Severus was more than angry that Petunia had rejected Lily, hurt her- even though he had hurt Lily far more so, even bringing about her death. There was a lot of guilt that would go along with this visit.

The child hadn't even known what Lily looked like. He hadn't even known anything of his grandparents, for all that they were Petunia's parents too. Did their acceptance of their younger daughter mean that their older daughter would ignore their presence even after their death? Or was she willing to not even tell her own son about his grandparents, just to deprive her nephew.

Number Four, Privet Drive. The house was not altogether unlike the one that the Evans girls were raised in, but larger, and less inviting. It was boring at best, Severus thought. He knocked on the door, almost smiling at wondering what the woman's reaction would be. Petunia Evans did not like surprises. He had picked a time during the day when Petunia would likely either be alone or only with her child that was about Harry's age.

"You," she said, more fear in her eyes than anything else. Those eyes darted around to other houses on her street, the same nosy bitch from their childhood.

"I have come to speak about the- about Harry. I suggest you invite me inside before I make a scene in front of your precious neighbors." Stiffly, Petunia Dursley allowed Severus Snape into her bland, antiseptic house. Severus made a cursory scan around the room, sure to make evident his distaste. There were dozens of pictures of the little blond elephant, some including his parents as well, the father along the same appalling stature. There was not a single sign of the fourth member of this should-be-family, but Severus didn't really expect it by that point.

"What do you want? I've already signed him over to you, haven't I? You sent that owl to harass me as if I wasn't a perfectly _normal_ upstanding citizen, didn't you? I don't know what your angle is saying that you're the brat's father when he is the very image of the Potter boy, but I don't even care."

 _Muggle killers usually went to Azkaban these days, and that really needed to be avoided_. "I just wanted to pick up the remainder of his belongings. You know, extra clothes, beloved keepsakes, childhood toys, things every eleven-year-old has. **_Where are his things, Tuney?_** " Severus barked loudly. He was letting this woman affect him more than he intended.

"He never deserved any," the bitter woman hissed before clapping her hands over her mouth. Severus wished that the emotion was at least shame, but the woman before him only felt fear.

"I would take great pleasure in performing all manner of torture upon you if you were _worth_ going to Azkaban over. Perhaps that's where _you'll_ end up. Do you know anything about Azkaban, Petunia? Ah, I see that you do. Such a thing to remember, when you were such a little girl when you would have last heard me talk about it. Always eavesdropping. And you remember everything I said about the magical world in those days, don't you? Because you _wanted_ to be a witch, but you never could be. It would almost be sad, really, if you weren't so despicable. To neglect, perhaps even to torture a child for years because he had something that you could never have. What if your son had been a wizard too? His future children, should he ever have them, easily could be. Of course, you may not need to worry about grandchildren if you don't fix his dietary habits before the child dies of heart failure along with your oaf husband." The woman only whimpered.

"I thought, for months, of what punishment might suit this wretched family. I concluded that I should avoid the cretin you married, or I would kill him on the spot. The direct approach had its appeals, but it stinks of Gryffindor. Various retribution curses could be fitting, placing you in the same pain you inflicted, or placing that torment on your son instead," Severus threatened as Petunia started to outright sob. "But I have a rather new resolution not to harm children, even an unpleasant bully of one," he said, noticing the child's eyes and forehead dart back from around a doorway. "You and your husband will be cursed in a more general sense," Severus drawled, smirking at Petunia's sharp intake in breath. Perhaps your gardens will die, or you will get fat, or your husband will lose his job. For certain, your neighbors will gossip, more about you than anyone else in the neighborhood," he added, remembering how nosy Petunia had been even as a child. The woman's sobbing increased. Appearance was all the woman cared about.

"What is the child's name?" he asked.

"D-Dudley?" Petunia stuttered.

"Dudley, come here, and I suggest you obey," Severus called in what he thought was a voice rather more cordial than the little brute deserved. "Look at me," he directed when the child waddled close enough to him, curiously clutching his voluminous hind quarters. Severus actually felt a twinge sorry for the child, in his own way mistreated just as much as Harry had been. He knelt down a bit to be closer to eye-level for the child. "Your parents are despicable monsters for treating your cousin as less than human, and at some point, they will likely end up in prison for it. They would right now except that would require Harry to testify against them, which I currently will not ask of him. They taught you to treat your cousin just as despicably, and that is not healthy, an abuse in itself. From what I can tell, you are an obese bully, and you need to grow up into a functioning member of society _unlike_ your parents. Pick up a hobby, ideally something active and non-violent, and work on your grades, do a few chores. Your parents' misfortune will not be upon you, _if_ you are a good boy. Do you understand?" The child nodded vigorously and took the chance he was granted to back away, still holding his posterior.

Severus smirked to himself. Some small things he had planned himself, disappearing items, punctured tires at inopportune moments, some unfortunate banking investments. With a few muttered spells updated regularly, larger objects in the house would have an inordinate tendency towards dropping on Vernon Dursley. Severus wouldn't worry his mind over a few broken bones for the man, perhaps a few concussions. The man didn't seem to have many brain cells to begin with, and it would all be virtually untraceable to Severus Snape. He couldn't let anything happen to him while he was responsible for Harry.

The rest, he would let their paranoia cause themselves more trouble than he could cause them. Then a call to social services if needed for their own pampered brat, though it would risk getting picked up by the wizarding newspapers. He felt guilty that he would have used those same two words "pampered brat" to describe _Harry_ before he knew the truth. Severus would do more, but did not want to bring any more unwanted attention to Harry. His teeth still gritted that he couldn't kill the older two on the spot, or at least see them thrown in Azkaban. He left Petunia to her tears without another word. There would be nothing that had ever belonged to Harry that was worth removing from that place. With a last thought, he cast a locking charm on the cupboard under the stairs, in case anything left there was needed for evidence at a later date. Those muggles wouldn't be able to enter it even with demolition tools, though he almost _wished_ to see them try.

*****Harry*****

Harry sat, taking a moment alone in his Gryffindor dormitory and staring at the gifts he had received a week ago now. He had recently moved most of his new clothes from his- father to Gryffindor Tower, and he hadn't wanted to return a single article. For all that his father seemed to think they weren't enough to be considered a Christmas Present, Harry felt like he was given so many things. Twenty new pieces of clothing including the new dressing gown and slippers, more if you counted the slippers and socks separately. There were sixteen different individually wrapped sweets of ten different kinds, plus the wizard's chess set, the snitch, the snake he could get, and the pictures. Eighteen pictures, which were the best gift Harry had ever received.

Harry hadn't played chess with his new set yet, though Ron had offered. He had almost wanted to leave it in his other room, but Harry thought that his father might be insulted. Harry just didn't want to risk anything being damaged. He hadn't even opened any of the sweets from his father yet, though between him and Ron, the sweets from Hermione and Mrs. Weasley were already gone.

Harry looked at the sweets from his father again, thinking that maybe it wouldn't hurt to open just a few, especially the chocolate frogs, which he had six of from his father. They were supposed to be eaten, after all.

Harry carefully opened the foil, wanting to at least keep the card nice to remember it by. A Dumbledore. He was slightly disappointed that he had the card already, but it was nice to think back to when he first got that card on the train, the day he became friends with Ron, and met Hermione too, even if they weren't friends yet. Harry examined the card anyway, thinking that he would have to keep it separate from his other one so that he knew which each of them was. He actually dropped the frog in surprise when he read the back of the card:

ALBUS DUMBLEDORE

CURRENTLY HEADMASTER OF HOGWARTS

Considered by many the greatest wizard of modern times, Dumbledore is particularly famous for his defeat of the Dark wizard Grindelwald in 1945, for the discovery of the twelve uses of dragon's blood, and his work on alchemy with his partner, Nicolas Flamel. Professor Dumbledore enjoys chamber music and ten-pin bowling.*

 _Nicolas Flamel!_ Nicolas Flamel was an alchemist that had worked with Dumbledore. And the name seemed familiar before because he had read it on the same chocolate frog card. Harry looked around long enough to find the chocolate frog he had dropped lying on his bed. Fortunately, it had gotten its struggle out before he had dropped it. Cramming it into his mouth, still holding the card, Harry put his slippers on, hoping that Ron was just down in the common room. Then they would have to talk to Hermione, who would know what to do next.

Hermione would be returning the next evening, so Harry and Ron merely whispered about the new discovery to themselves, even going so far as looking through indexes of library books that they could identify as dealing with alchemy. They probably could have tried harder, but it was… harder when Hermione wasn't around to make them do it.

When they finally had some privacy in a secluded corner of the common room, Harry relayed what he had discovered over the break. Hermione ran up the stairs almost as soon as he handed her the chocolate frog card, before Harry even finished explaining what he had surmised.

"I can't believe I didn't think of it sooner. In fact, I got this out of the library weeks ago for a bit of light reading."* Harry and Ron looked at each other, and silently reframed from saying anything as Hermione hefted the enormous book onto the table and flipped through the pages. "Here, here! It's the Philosopher's Stone!" she whispered.

Harry looked at the passage that Hermione was still pointing excitedly at:

" _The ancient study of alchemy is concerned with making the Philosopher's Stone, a legendary substance with astonishing powers. The Stone will transform any metal into pure gold. It also produces the Elixir of Life, which will make the drinker immortal. There have been many reports of the Philosopher's Stone over the centuries, but the only Stone currently in existence belongs to Mr. Nicolas Flamel…"*_

Harry didn't even need to read any further.

"That's why you couldn't find him in recent magic books eh- He's not exactly recent if he's six hundred and sixty-five, is he?" Ron carried on. "No wonder Quirrell's after it! Anyone would want it."*

"He wants it for Voldemort," Harry said, not as shakily as he felt. He was sure the other two were looking at him now, but he didn't bother to look up. "Quirrell wanted me dead in that first quidditch match because he follows Voldemort. He was even somewhere last summer that Voldemort was supposed to be hiding, so he must have fetched up with him then."

"It might not be that serious, Harry," Hermione said cautiously. Ron just laid a hand on Harry's shoulder. All three children knew that this was precisely that serious, if not more so.

"And now he thinks the stone can bring him back," Harry stated simply. It was completely insane, the follower of an evil madman running around teaching a school full of children how to defend themselves. Not that they learned much useful in the Defense Against the Dark Arts class anyway. When it came to fighting a troll, Professor Flitwick's class was the only one that had really helped them, and that was just for a levitation charm. What were they supposed to do now? A part of Harry that might have been a conscience told him that he should tell an adult, probably his father, but he pushed that part away. They weren't _really_ in any new danger because the stone was well protected. Besides, the adults already knew everything they had figured out anyway, he was sure, and… and telling adults wasn't the way Harry had ever done things.

*****Severus*****

The smile that the boy gave him assured Severus that the child knew why he was here. The grumblings from the other students did not go unnoticed, but Severus didn't care what Gryffindors thought anyway.

As the game was going, Severus found himself watching the boy more than he should. The child was an incredibly skilled flyer, weaving back and forth too sharply to be healthy for his brain functioning, but the child seemed unbothered. Severus surveyed the rest of the field just in time to see a bludger hurtling at him. Diving rather skillfully for someone who hadn't spent much time on a broom since his school days, Severus avoided the hit and promptly awarded a penalty to Hufflepuff, as he was relatively sure that the blasted bludger came from one of the Wesley twins, though he hadn't actually seen which. The typical amount of groaning from Gryffindor stands confirmed his assessment, because there were no real cries of injustice.

The near miss did remind Severus that he should show some semblance of actually _refereeing_ the game rather than just watching Harry to make sure the child wasn't cursed again. He had hated being as far away as the stands during the last match, but he had yet to decide whether in air monitoring was more helpful.

Severus watched the rest of the field, restraining himself to only frequently glancing up to find the highest-flying red-clad player. The child had taken to the tactic of watching from far above, which was just as well in Severus's opinion. It kept the boy from being a likely target of bludgers, and the distance also made him more difficult to hit with most curses and jinxes from the ground or stands. On one glance skyward, Severus was shocked to find the boy hurtling towards him. Severus turned only quick enough to see the child continue past him, missing him by scant few inches, and following his path closer and closer to the ground, difficult to see from Severus's vantage point. Harry pulled out of the dive, far too close to the ground for an eleven-year-old, only one hand on his broom in a casual maneuver belying the difficulty an average player would have with the move. The child's other hand was a fist in the air, obviously clasping the snitch.

Severus called for the end of the match and watched as all players landed, the red-robed students surrounding Harry. Severus sighed, relieved for a quick end to the match. He wasn't sure if there had been a quicker match that he could remember from all of his time at Hogwarts, though it had felt far too long to Severus. The child quickly escaped the crowd around him. Severus didn't know how he could have ever not noticed how averse the child was to being the center of attention. The break in the crowd, as red-robed quidditch players and other red-scarved children headed towards the castle, undoubtedly to celebrate, allowed Severus a brief moment to step closer to the boy, lightly grasping the child's shoulder. Harry's head darted up, fast enough that the child's glasses would have fallen off had he still needed them. Green eyes met his and then smiled.

"You flew well," Severus said gruffly. "Run celebrate with your friends," he said in a more blatant display of public approval than he would have thought himself ever capable of. The child nodded and was quickly surrounded by his two best friends, headed up to the castle with the boisterous sea of red. On the way, Harry was even raised up on student's shoulders. The child seemed embarrassed, but happy enough. It was remarkable from his upbringing to have become such a relatively well-adjusted child. There were still problems, he knew, but the boy seemed happy.

Such thoughts made Severus search the crowd, seeking out Professor Quirrell, another source of both his and the boy's troubles. If Dumbledore was going to take a passive stance, it was time for Severus to take a more active role on his own.

Severus stalked up to the twitchy wizard in a casual way. He nonverbally cast his own silencing charm variant, _Muffliato_ , with the wand still concealed in his long sleeve. Facing away from the meandering crowd of non-Gryffindor students, he paused before Quirrell inside his silenced area, "Meet me in the forest in half an hour. Only just inside the forest, halfway between Hagrid's hut and the lake. Understood." He left with a statement rather than a question, continuing on as if he had never talked to the bumbling excuse of a professor.

The fool was half shaking when Severus came upon him just under thirty minutes later. The man looked around so franticly that Severus was surprised his turban had never fallen off. Severus skipped any pleasantries, not that he was ever a man for banal conversations. *"Have you found out how to get past that beast of Hagrid's yet?"

"B-b-but Severus, I-"

"You don't want me as your enemy, Quirrell," said Snape, taking a step toward him.

"I-I don't know what you-"

"You know perfectly well what I mean.* Ponder it. We'll have another little chat soon, when you've had time to think things over and decided where your loyalties lie,"* Severus stalked off with his very practiced swoop of cloak. It was an exit that said that he was powerful, too powerful for a weakling like Quirrell to even consider striking from behind, not that Severus wasn't always ready for an attack.

*Rowling, J.K. (2012-03-27). Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (Harry Potter, Book 1) (p. 220-226). Pottermore Limited. Kindle Edition.

 **A/N: These were some scenes that I knew had to happen that I had put off writing- especially him with the Dursleys. I have a soft spot for Dudley because he had a very messed up home life, but no sympathy at all for the adult Dursleys. I hope you think it turned out well. Please let me know! I used some direct quotes, which I try to be minimal on, but it just made sense here.**

 **Edited March 2017**


	10. Chapter 10 Dragon

Chapter 10- Dragon

*****Harry*****

The new term had kept Harry busier than the first. Teachers assumed that they had adjusted enough to Hogwarts to expect more of them, and Harry did feel the added pressure to try harder on his marks since he assumed his father would see them. Harry spent most evenings when he wasn't too busy with quidditch working on homework and revising with Hermione, and often Ron as well. Ron would usually grumble that the twins would never let him live it down if he did well in school, but Harry knew that his friend's face lit up whenever and "E" graced the top of his page. And that "O" on that Transfiguration essay, he had really worked hard to get.

And on top of that, Harry tried to go flying with Ron for at least a few hours a week, and he enjoyed going by his other rooms, even if he just brought some homework down to write up while sitting on the sofa. His- father would generally appear to be absorbed in his own reading or marking, but Harry knew that they both looked up at each other sometimes. Occasionally they would play chess, which Harry rather enjoyed.

And Harry also had worries about Nicolas Flamel and the Philosopher's Stone, wondering if he should tell his father what they had learned. But Harry still thought that his father must know it anyway.

Harry hadn't noticed that he hadn't seen another friend in weeks again, against his best intentions, when he stumbled into Hagrid by chance on his way trudging back towards the castle from yet another quidditch practice. Wood was actually becoming more extreme the better their chances were looking for the Cup.

Hagrid seemed to be rather busy as well, and instead of a usual greeting Hagrid said, "There's something I think you lot would enjoy seeing out at m' hut. Should be ready by 'bout tomorrow afternoon," he said, already shuffling off as Harry called back agreement to the invitation.

*****Harry*****

Harry had been feeling guilty about not visiting his first friend, but when he was standing in that sweltering hot hut, he wished he had never come. A dragon- Hagrid was raising a _dragon_. Harry watched as the ugly little reptile hobbled along the wooden table in Hagrid's wood and thatch hut. Harry was only eleven, and he knew that this was a very bad idea. Ron seemed to be as enthusiastic as ever, talking about his second oldest brother, Charlie, in Romania raising dragons. Hermione looked even more nervous than Harry felt himself.

"Hagrid, isn't it illegal to have a dragon? Isn't there probably a good reason for that?" Hermione asked.

Harry cringed, expecting a fight over this suggestion, which was why he hadn't said something the moment he saw the moving egg. He could watch Ron's face turn alarmed. "Hagrid, you live in a wooden house!" Ron said, as he came to the same conclusion Harry had. "He'll be too big and breathing fire soon. You've gotta do something!"

"Eh, 'S'alright I've kept more dangerous beasts than this little one around."

"I think they're right, Hagrid," Harry said, finding the determination to speak out against his first friend if his other two were agreeing with him. "He'll be too hard to hide and we don't want you to get in trouble."

"You can play it off like you found him in the forest, and just want him to get to a safe place," Ron suggested, rather brilliantly, Harry thought.

Hermione seemed hesitant over the lie but said, "If you tried to send him away legitimately, I don't imagine there would be as many questions," she settled.

"Now, you lot," Hagrid chuckled. "I'll be fine. Don't you worry about me. I'll be _fine_. Me an' Norbert won't draw any attention."

"Norbert!" Hermione squeaked now. "You've named it? You're not supposed to name it. And now you're attached!" Hermione half-whined, half- scolded, some combination of child and parent in her tone. She was older sister material at least, Harry thought.

Harry looked over when Hermione squeaked. He caught sight of the window out of the corner of his eyes and caught some movement, and what he thought was a head of light blond hair. "Malfoy," Harry breathed as he dashed to the window to confirm his suspicion. Sure enough, he could see the blond first year still running towards the castle. "Malfoy saw the dragon."

"Now you have to get rid of it, as soon as possible. Malfoy could tell anyone at any time," Hermione insisted.

"Well, I think you'd best be off," Hagrid said instead a bit grumpily.

Hermione was only too happy to leave, up from the table before Hagrid even finished speaking. Ron still looked a bit longingly at the little dragon, which had fallen asleep while it was being discussed, tiny smoke flaring from nostrils. Harry lingered last of all at the door, catching Hagrid's words, "You wouldn't tell anyone about this, would you, Harry?" Harry shook his head as he walked out the door. He couldn't tell anyone if he promised that he wouldn't. And Hagrid could take care of himself, couldn't he?

Harry, Ron, and Hermione visited more often in the next weeks, growing in curiosity as Norbert grew too big to reasonably be hidden in a wooden hut. Harry wondered if even the Forbidden Forest would be able to hide a young dragon that was starting to breathe fire.

When Norbert bit Ron, it was the final straw. Their combined effort convinced Hagrid that he absolutely had to get rid of Norbert. It was too dangerous to let him go and hope for the best, and Ron had already written to his brother Charlie to see if Charlie could come take it, and they were all relieved when they heard the response that Charlie would send some friends to retrieve the beast.

Norbert was the size of a large dog, and Harry and Hermione were visiting Ron in the Hospital Wing, where he had finally ended up to treat Norbert's bite. Unlike normal, Madame Pomfrey hadn't been able to fix Ron in an instant, so he was still confined to the wing. Harry suspected that this was because Madame Pomfrey didn't even know what _type_ of bite she was dealing with, and a baby Norwegian Ridgeback wasn't exactly a likely first guess, even if she didn't believe Ron's story of being bitten by a stray dog.

Ron sat up and started babbling, "Malfoy knows. He took the book with the note- Oh Merlin, he knows about Saturday."

"Slow down, Ron," Hermione instructed.

"Malfoy was hanging around the Hospital Wing, and I figured he'd guessed about the bite and was going to have a go at me. He never really said much though. When Madame Pomfrey asked him what he wanted, he said it was to borrow a book I had that needed to go back to the library. It was just an excuse for him hanging around. And- and I just realized that the letter from Charlie talking about Saturday night and where it was and everything was in that book. Merlin, it's all my fault!"

Harry and Hermione looked at each other as Ron thumped his head back to his pillows in defeat.

"We'll have to chance it," Harry decided. "We'll go under the cloak, Hermione and I. I think it will fit us, and he doesn't know anything about that. We'll just have to not get caught, because we can't miss this chance to get rid of Norbert." Hermione and Ron looked doubtful, as if they'd rather call it off at this point. Finally, Hermione nodded. They mostly just looking at each other glumly until Madame Pomfrey returned and shooed Harry and Hermione out of the wing.

*****Harry*****

How had he gotten himself into this mess? Why couldn't Hagrid just-? Harry was doing it because he'd do anything to help a friend.

Harry thought that the dragon must weigh more than Fang by now, as he and Hermione slowly carted the beast up hundreds of stairs down the least likely to be traveled and shortest paths that the two of them could come up with. The smell of the brandy that Hagrid had packed with Norbert wasn't doing them any favors. They might be invisible, but they could still be smelled or heard. Assorted smacking and ripping sounds would come periodically from the cage that Harry did his best to not even look at. He just concentrating on keeping moving, and not letting his fingers slip to where Norbert could get them. It all couldn't be over soon enough.

Harry came to a halt, grabbing Hermione's arm to make her do the same, and causing Norbert's cage to slant drastically for a moment. Mrs. Norris, Filch's vile cat, eyes them suspiciously. The creature's eyes seemed to glow. Harry had wondered if invisibility cloaks worked on animals, but it hardly even mattered in this case. Out of necessity, they'd made more than enough noise and smelled strongly enough of dragon and alcohol that any cat would have noticed them. And with Mrs. Norris's apparent connection to Filch, she wasn't a normal cat. The little brute swished away, but Harry had the sinking suspicion that she was not up to their best interest. Still, they could only hide well from Mrs. Norris or Filch if they got rid of Norbert first.

Harry thought he had never been more relieved than he was to see Norbert disappear into the distance strapped between the broomsticks of Charlie Weasley's four friends.

Harry didn't think that anything could spoil his good mood now until the two of them came face to face with Filch. Harry froze, telling himself that he wouldn't be seen under the- they were both idiots, even Hermione this night.

Harry realized that he had so carefully pocketed his invisibility cloak at the top of the tower, mindful of the instructions of his father to keep it with him at all times, but not to let others know about it, so he hadn't wanted Charlie's friends to see. Only when they left the tower… They were in so much trouble.

*****Harry*****

"I am severely disappointed in all three of you, two of you from my own house, wandering about after curfew. Have an excuse, do you?"

"Three?"

"That is none of your business, Mr. Potter. Would you like to explain your reason for being at the top of the tallest tower in the middle of the night?"

"Astronomy," Hermione piped up. "I heard that this was the best time of night to view Jupiter, and I didn't want to go out alone, so Harry agreed to join me. It's my fault, really."

"Miss Granger, I do not recommend a habit of leading your fellow students into rule breaking a second time. I would have thought you would have learned after the troll incident. I also suggest you not _fabricate_ tales that only tarnish your own reputation further, for future reference," the older witch huffed.

"Of course, Professor," Hermione said meekly. It appeared that their Head of House didn't believe them.

"It pains me to take fifty points from my own house," Professor McGonagall continued, "Fifty _each_ , and detention tomorrow evening," she finished when neither of the students commented further. "Off to bed. Don't even sit in your common rooms, because I will know if you have delayed," she scolded. "Can I trust you to make it there without gallivanting around other towers?"

"Yes, Professor McGonagall" the two students chorused, both deflated as they left the stern witch's office.

Harry spotted Draco Malfoy lurking around the hallway when they left the professor's office. "We weren't bothering you," Harry grumbled, walking towards the boy. He'd ignored Malfoy for months because nothing was happening with the Slytherins, but he should have known that Malfoy would never change. "You didn't have to rat on us."

"I didn't 'rat' on you," Draco hissed. "I didn't even say what I was doing out of bed, or she'd have known before she talked to you, clearly. I just- wanted to see, and I got caught, okay!"

Harry blinked a few times, "You got in trouble just like we did?" Harry asked warily.

"Fifty points and detention tomorrow," Draco huffed. "She said she might have lowered the points if I just told her what I was doing, but I didn't. My father will hea- he'll…" The boy trailed off. "I could have _told_ on you, you know."

"Thanks, then," Harry said awkwardly. He noticed Hermione nodding silently beside him.

Draco only nodded as well before slipping off in the opposite direction from the one Hermione and Harry headed.

*****Severus*****

Severus was livid with Minerva that he had to hear about his- heir's misdeeds through overhearing castle gossip the next day, rather than from the boy's Head of House the moment the transgression occurred. True, the other children's parents might never be told about such an infraction, but he was a Head of House at Hogwarts, even if it wasn't the boy's own house.

The only notice that he received from Minerva that morning was that Draco Malfoy had been caught out after curfew, was docked fifty points and sentenced to detention that night, which Severus at the time thought was a bit extreme but not worth fighting with Minerva over. He considered that he would discretely remove points from a few Gryffindors to settle the score if the child hadn't deserved it. There had been no mention of Harry on the notice. Severus had heard it first from a damned portrait. He hated those busybodies that everyone ignored.

Severus held Harry back after potions class that morning. He had more discretely left a note in Draco's returned homework to discuss the issue in his office after dinner that night. Harry looked glumly at his friends who looked equally upset back at him. Severus knew that the children had a free period next, so he contented himself for a longer discussion with the troublesome child. The boy deserved it, being out after curfew and even getting caught at it.

He needed to be firm with the child, he thought as they entered his quarters. "Why were you out after curfew with Miss Granger last night, and how exactly did Mr. Malfoy factor in as well?" Severus asked, knowing that whatever it was, he was likely to get a conflicting story from Draco later that day. "And look me in the eyes when you answer," he instructed, snapping a bit.

Severus was shocked to see tears freely flowing from the child's eyes. "I'm sorry I didn't tell. Will you have to send me away now? I didn't want Hagrid to get in trouble. I thought he might go to prison or get fired or something, and I couldn't let that happen. I should have visited him sooner, and maybe we could have talked him out of it before it hatched," the child rambled.

"Before what hatched? Why would Hagrid be in legal difficulties?" Severus asked with growing distaste for the rest of the discussion.

"The dragon," Harry whined, "We couldn't let him keep it, because it's illegal and he lives in a wooden house and all. But he could get in trouble, so we sent it to Charlie," the sobbing child explained, as matters were beginning to line up in Severus's mind. _Dragon!?_ How had a dragon occupied Hogwarts grounds without him knowing sooner? But he did remember Charlie Weasley, the second Weasley child whom had graduated just the year before, even if he hadn't been in potions for three years now, and Severus did think that he had heard that the boy was working in some other country with dragons now. The child had been the troublesome Weasley in residence before the twins arrived and eclipsed that title while barely into their first year.

The boy was still talking, "I know he shouldn't have kept Norbert, but he was mostly friendly enough. Hagrid said it wasn't really dangerous. We just couldn't let Hagrid get in trouble so we-"

"Not dangerous?" Severus near shouted. "I am assuming this is the same beast that bit Mr. Weasley, isn't it?" Severus demanded, more facts falling into place. The youngest red-headed boy had had his hand wrapped for a class period before being confined to the hospital wing. The medical stay was likely the only thing that kept the child from being in the same trouble as Harry and Granger.

"Well-" Harry protested, "Ron wasn't really being careful then. We didn't know it had its teeth already, you see," the child protested feebly, not meeting his eyes. "Do I have to be sent away?" the child asked again.

"Where exactly do you expect me to send you, boy?" Severus snapped. He regretted his last word the moment he saw the small child shake.

"The Dursleys," came the whispered response.

Severus sighed, knowing it was time for damage control that he didn't feel up to giving, "No, child. Even if you were expelled, which you wouldn't be for sneaking around after night, you would still reside with me. I would _not_ allow your wand to be snapped. You would be enrolled in another wizarding academy or private tutors if needed. There is nothing, nothing that you could do that would make me send you back to those people. You will never see them again. You are my- son now, child. I thought we had been over this. Even if I'm not happy with your actions, I will never send you away."

Severus was startled by the force of the child, head pressed into his abdomen right around his sternum, small arms that didn't reach around even Severus's thin frame. Severus awkwardly patted the child on the head then the shoulder. He knew that even in his discomfort, he couldn't push the child away. Brief pressure on the child's back was enough of a 'hug,' Severus thought. He wasn't good at this. Severus he had received more embraces in the past few months than he had had since he was a very small child, if even then, starting with the unusually emotional Minerva, Miss Tonks, and now Harry.

"I have heard that you are already being punished by Professor McGonagall for this offense?" Severus asked, energy running down and not actually wanting to traumatize the child further.

"Yes sir. We received notes saying we should meet Mr. Filch in the entrance hall at eleven tonight," the child responded with a small smile. Severus frowned. Punishing children for staying out late by keeping them out of their beds yet another night? What could be learned from that? And Filch was an all-around unpleasant man that would likely have the children scrubbing something for hours without magic, keeping the children from yet more sleep. Still, he wouldn't question other professor's authority in front of any student, so he made no reply.

"You will not fly with Mr. Weasley until I say otherwise, and I shall know if you have strayed. In fact, I believe the spare broom would be better kept in your room down here, and I expect it to be there by the end of tomorrow. Understood? You are not, however, barred from games or sanctioned team practices but from all purely recreational purposes. I expect that you will learn from your detention and point reduction as well. My punishment regarding the flying is _not_ for being out late, but for being around a dangerous creature when you should have immediately spoken to an adult, understood?" Severus sighed.

The message wasn't impacting the boy, he was certain.

"Yes sir," the child said, almost cheerily as he backed away and hastily wiped his eyes. "And the house is so mad about the loss of a hundred points that no one will even speak to me and Hermione except Ron and the quidditch team. I tried to resign from the team, because I wasn't sure if I would get to stick around Hogwarts anyway, but Oliver wouldn't let me," the child went on.

Severus held back a groan. The boy was more than willing to punish himself, but he wasn't _learning_ anything from it. Severus was completely unequipped for this.

*****Severus*****

Severus told himself that he was _not_ searching out Filch after midnight because he was worried about the little brats. He was surprised to find Filch alone in his own office.

"You let the urchins go early to get them out of your sight, did you?" Severus drawled, as if he didn't care the slightest about the response.

"Hagrid had asked for some help. Left the little bastards with him," the wretch said, apparently not noticing Severus's deadly look. Severus almost confronted the man before the idiot continued and Severus was distracted. "They'll go to the forest alright, and it'll scare them straight from acting up again, alright."

"Of course," Severus replied, though his heart had started to race. "Good evening," he said, a courtesy that Severus would never have shown Filch under the circumstances if he were thinking properly, leaving the room briskly before heading towards the Great Hall. A few point me spells and he would find the boy, just to ensure that nothing was wrong. And then to drag him back to Gryffindor Tower regardless of what any of the rest of the staff might say. Trips into the Forbidden Forest was not appropriate punishment for first years, or any students, especially at night.

"Severus, wandering the halls rather late tonight, I see?" came the grandfatherly tones of Albus Dumbledore.

"I am checking on one of my first years in his first detention," Severus sniffed, though as soon as he said it, he realized the Slytherin boy had had a detention earlier in the school year for the flying class incident, also connected to Harry. "I was rather disturbed to learn that three _children_ were assigned to enter the Forbidden Forest with no more protection than an unqualified half-giant wizard. Do you have any comment, Albus?"

"They will be fine, my boy. This is the first I'm hearing of it, but I believe it will teach them a significant lesson about teamwork for the children to work together. Hagrid will keep close watch over them," Albus said in that infuriating, wise-grandfather voice.

"I am trying to instill in the boy that he is _not_ to throw himself into dangerous situations. What do you think sending him off blindly into the forest will teach him, other than to fend for himself?" As an afterthought, he added, "And the other children will be terrified. Do you think Draco Malfoy so much as played in the mud as a child? Or the little bookworm? First years are a danger to themselves even in a supervised classroom!"

"So, it is your concern for your son that has you so agitated, Severus, not for young Mister Malfoy," the old man said with a smile.

"It is not wrong for me to be concerned for multiple children's safety," Severus huffed. "They are all my students." Severus walked off, deciding that he had saved face in that conversation and that he refused to be delayed any further.

"I didn't say it was wrong, Severus. You should tell your son that you were concerned." Damned old man getting the last word…

*****Harry*****

"Now, you lot, one of you will come with me, and the other two with Fang. We'll cover more ground split up."

Draco seemed to take one look at his two options and sided with the large boarhound, "I want Fang," he said.

"All right, but I warn yeh, he's a coward."

"I'll go with them," Harry volunteered resignedly. No matter what Malfoy had or hadn't done to get him stuck with them in detention, Harry didn't trust Malfoy alone with Hermione, even though he knew that Hermione was more capable to deal with trouble from Malfoy than he was- he still couldn't stand the worry over it.

Harry came back out of his thoughts to hear Hagrid summarize "Green sparks if there's a unicorn, and red sparks if there's trouble, yeh? Now let's go."

Harry and Malfoy wandered for what must have been an hour, and a very uneventful one. Harry was wondering why everyone was so scared of the forest, when after the first ten minutes, he was more worried that they wouldn't be able to find their way out of it than he was of some creature hurting them. The two boys and Fang hadn't run into anything alive or dead, and they hadn't seen any sparks from Hermione and Hagrid.

Malfoy spotted the blood first. It was silvery, and Harry had to stop himself from reaching out and touching it. They kept following the blood as the droplets turned into small puddles. Harry started hoping that they could find the poor creature just so that they could be done and send up sparks to fetch Hagrid to them.

When they saw it, Harry wished he never had. It was far too beautiful to be dead the way it was. Harry made to step towards the beast when rustling, almost hissing in the nearby bushes made him freeze. A cloaked figure with hood drawn up came out of the bushes. It ignored them completely, seemingly only focused on the unicorn as it bent over to the source of the blood and began to drink.

Malfoy screamed. Harry thought that he might have too, but he wasn't sure. Harry felt a hand grasp his wrist and tug him away, but he only stumbled a few steps backward, unable to leave the sight before him. The hand fell away as Draco fled. Fang had also vanished. The noise was enough to get the figure's attention, and it began walking quickly towards Harry, terrifying with silver blood dripping down its front.

Harry whimpered, head suddenly piercingly painful. The pain was familiar but more intense than he had ever felt before. _Quirrell_. He had only ever felt that pain in his scar around Quirrell, but this was far worse than before. Harry could just manage a few steps back, but the cloaked man, Quirrell he thought, would be upon him. Time sped up rather than standing still as people always say it does in dangerous moments, and Harry wasn't sure what was going on.

Just when he thought he was dead for sure, there was another beast- a unicorn? No, a centaur, man from above the waist, but with almost a full horse body including four legs below it. The man was blond, and his horse half seemed to be blond as well, easily visible in the dark. The cloaked man had been frightened away when there was something more than a few first years and a cowardly dog to deal with.

"Are you- unharmed?" the beast asked.

Harry didn't have much time to answer before another rustling figure broke into the clearing, wand lit and raised. Harry had been ready to stagger away again when the frantic voice came, "Harry?"

His _dad_ had come to find him. Harry ran to his father, feet unfrozen until he was safely encircled in the older wizard's arms.

Harry barely paid attention as two more centaurs joined the clearing. The one who had saved him said to his father, "You will protect the young one. There is much that we have read in the stars. Leave the forest as quickly as you can, and for your own safety, do not return," before melting back into the forest with the other two centaurs. Harry felt his father nod above him, and assist him to stand on his own again.

"D-Draco and Fang ran off. I think Draco tried to get me to go with them but I- I couldn't move," Harry said, feeling like an idiot. He had been… just watching, and then the pain in his scar…

"I encountered them on the way to meet you. They are headed towards the exit of the forest, and I can find Draco if needed," his father said.

"You went on to find me?" Harry asked, knowing his voice sounded small and pathetic.

"Always. Child, we will speak again about keeping you out of danger," he sighed, "Though I can hardly fault you for this incident when your detention had such an unacceptable assignment for first years. If you are ever asked to perform a detention more dangerous than cleaning again, you will speak to me first."

"I- we were supposed to send up red sparks for danger or green sparks for finding the unicorn. I didn't send up green sparks."

"You didn't send up red either, not that it would have helped much with that danger. I will assist Hagrid in finding the dead creature again if needed, once _you_ are safely in bed."

"Why would he drink unicorn blood? I- I think it was Quirrell because my scar hurt," Harry said, needing to tell his father that.

"Your scar? And that's happened before?" his father asked and watched Harry nod before going silent as they walked further. "Unicorn hair, and occasionally horn, are used in wand making or potions. These do not necessarily kill, or even injure the unicorn, though some are slain just for their horns, so that ingredient is more expensive." He paused again for so long that Harry was afraid he might be done talking, and wondered if he should ask again. "Unicorn blood is only ever used for dark purposes. I try not to lie to you, child, but you are very young and should not know everything. But unicorn blood can be used to keep a body alive in any circumstance, for a time. But by most the cost is considered too great. It is a- cursed existence for those that preys on the pure. Do you understand?"

"Maybe Quirrell wants it for- for his master?" Harry said. Just like the stone, but Harry didn't add that.

"That seems a likely scenario, yes."

"But- why did he drink it himself instead of bottling it up."

"That is… a very astute question, and a troubling one. I, however, do not have all of the answers," his father said as they exited the last few trees. Draco was standing just outside the forest with Fang, and Harry could hear him talking to Hagrid and Hermione as Hagrid loaded his crossbow, before all four of them, even Fang, turned to face the new arrivals. Hagrid lowered the bow, and Hermione rushed forward, flinging her arms around Harry as soon as she reached him.

"Back to the castle now, students. Hagrid, I will show you where to find the beast once the children are inside. We shall also have a conversation with the Headmaster about age appropriate punishment." Harry managed a smile and complied, walking tiredly towards Gryffindor Tower with Hermione after a nod in Draco Malfoy's direction which was equally returned.

 **A/N: I never mean to give Neville a smaller part, because he is one of my absolute favorite canon characters. It has just turned out that changes lead to him being less involved in my variant plotline thus far… Like he wouldn't be in trouble with them because he wouldn't hear Malfoy going on about reporting them or whatnot, because Malfoy wasn't so keen on reporting Harry here. Also he wasn't leg-locked by Malfoy in an earlier chapter, or in a fight with Malfoy and his gang at the quidditch game. I didn't realize until I was searching the first book for details, how often Neville and Draco appear in scenes with each other. An interesting counterbalance. Hmmm…**


	11. Chapter 11 Wager and Wit's End

Chapter 11 - Wager and Wit's End

*****Tonks*****

Nymphadora Tonks looked at the happy child before her and smiled. At the start of their lesson he had been telling her about getting an "O" on his most recent potions assignment, even though everyone knew his father would never show favoritism in marks. Tonks noticed that the child had grown so much that, though he was still on the smaller side for his age, he didn't look abnormally fragile. With Severus as tall as he was, Tonks assumed Harry would catch up to the rest of his class soon enough with good nutrition. She couldn't see any signs of his traumatic childhood anymore, though she knew they would still be there. Nothing psychological was fixed so easily, but the boy was doing better. He wasn't the scared child that flinched when you touched his hand anymore at least. He would even occasionally initiate casual contact, and she knew he did even more so with Severus, even hugs.

With a little prodding, she had gotten the full story of the dragon out of Harry and they'd laughed over it in retrospect. She hadn't been involved in anything that serious before fifth or sixth year at the earliest, but she willingly enough regaled him with tales of her own mischief, and about the oldest Weasley brothers whom Harry hadn't met yet. She and Charlie had been in the same year, and they had been good enough friends and took Care of Magical Creatures together. And the class was great before Professor Kettleburn lost too many fingers and a few limbs and became a bit of a coward with what he brought to their classes. Her classes with Harry had become more of talking sessions as Tonks tried to distract Harry as he took on different appearances with his metamorphmagus abilities.

"Look!" the child proclaimed. Tonks broke from her thoughts to see a rather convincing little old man in front of him, complete including wrinkles, which were a bit tricky. The likeness was nearly flawless except for the clearly child-like voice. Voices were very hard though, and they hadn't touched on them yet. He hadn't changed his bones much, if at all, but it was still a very good disguise.

"Very nice. You'll keep practicing over the summer, won't you?" Tonks asked her young charge. "This'll be our last lesson this year so you can focus on your boring, book classes before exams."

"Can't you come over the summer still?" the child begged. The boy was actually asking for attention now, something he never would have done months ago.

"You'll have to ask your father," Tonks said, reaching out slowly to touch the grey hair on the boy's head. He didn't seem to mind as she ruffled it. "I'd be visiting the castle as his guest rather than the Headmaster's since school won't be in session. But I'll come see you as often as I get to, little man."

"Okay," the child agreed eagerly, changing back to his base form as their lesson was over for the evening.

With new determination, Nymphadora Tonks walked towards the dungeons and Severus Snape's quarters. Today, if she had her way, he would be in for a surprise.

*****Severus*****

The witch was actually smirking at him, almost maniacally so. She had pushed him out of her mind well before he had meant to leave it. The agreed upon memory for that attempt had been her graduation from Hogwarts, and she had shoved him out when he was still meandering about her NEWTs practical portions, particularly the potions exam that she somehow managed and "E" on. True, he hadn't yet been trying to find her graduation, still going a bit easy on the witch, but he hadn't expected to be metaphorically kicked out on his arse.

"I believe I win, Severus Snape," Tonks said, smooth voice more enticing than Severus would have believed possible. The whiskey must have had something to do with it. Yes, everything about that encounter was entirely the whiskey's fault. There was no way the nineteen-year-old with barely a few months of training could get the better of him if he were actually trying. For more than a month he knew she had been good enough to pass whatever Occlumency examination was routinely placed before aurors, but that was not a very high standard.

The witch had become rather skilled at pushing him towards safe memories, sometimes just of her staring at a wall. She was not discrete, but still reasonably effective. This was the first time she's pushed him out of her mind before he let her. His own task was faring far less promising. He had managed to change the length of his damned hair to any length he wanted, but had only changed the shade reliably as far as a very dark brown. There had been one memorable day when his hair turned as white as Dumbledore's leaving him completely mortified as the witch laughed. She told him that he would still be a handsome man in his old age, the fool of a witch. Severus unfavorably complained in his head that he must already seem ancient to her, so it hardly mattered.

"Yes, yes, and what are you asking as your prize?" Severus asked, feigning more upset over the loss than he felt. Severus Snape found it difficult to be cross at this witch for any length of time. And it was _his_ training that led her to succeed after all.

"An outing- no, a _date_. Hogsmeade, Diagon Alley, or muggle London, dinner and the remainder of the evening out. Your treat. The Friday of the first week of June. You'll have no school obligations left except written exams, and you would still have plenty of other days left to grade them, so there's no real reason for you to say no," Tonks taunted.

"I- agree to said outing," Severus nodded, marveling that the woman in front of him was persistent enough to seek out time with him for some unfathomable reason. Where would he choose? Muggle London, with less chance of being seen, for her sake of course, had its appeals, but by this point in his life, he was more comfortable navigating the wizarding world.

"Date," Tonks corrected, standing up and walking briskly to the portrait door, despite the significant amounts of alcohol she had consumed. "And I expect it to be complete with a goodnight kiss," she declared, opening the portrait door before Severus could respond. And he certainly wasn't going to say anything with a wide open door for anyone to eavesdrop. It was certainly _not_ that the young woman had rendered him unable to say anything in response.

*****Muggle London*****

Severus Snape could not believe that he was on a- _date_ \- with his former student. Though there were now thousands of witches and wizards who had been his students, the oldest of which were not even four years his junior. But this witch was… much younger.

Muggle London had been the correct choice, so no one would see them, he thought as he approached the door of a nice enough flat. She had sent an owl with her address and a time with instructions reminding him that he was to choose the rest of the- activities, so he assumed that he was meant to retrieve her himself. He hadn't needed the reminder of her address though, as he remembered it from Tonks's first visit into his quarters, when she used his floo and disappeared with his cloak and a wink.

The door opened quickly, and Tonks was there, gripping the door as if she were about to fall, which she likely was, hopping on one foot while she tugged on a shoe. All Severus could really pay attention to was the large amount of- cleavage revealed by the witch's muggle, small black dress. Because she was leaning over, hopping in place, wrestling with the shoe. She was too perfect, all of her. "Come in," she declared, hopping to one side of the door as she succeeded in slipping the shoe on her foot. Severus noted that they were the black heels that he had given her for Christmas- well, she had put on one of them anyway. Severus could not see the second shoe as he looked around at the disorder of the flat.

"It's not usually this messy, I swear," Tonks insisted as she limped around in one shoe. Severus was strangely unbothered by the mess. "Found it," she said, pulling the second heeled shoe out of some pile of clothes, half falling on the couch to pull on her second shoe. She stood, shakily, "Ready to go?"

"I suppose," Severus agreed. He himself wore black slacks and a dark green dress shirt. He told himself that it was most certainly not because the witch had teased him once about only wearing black. Of course, she was in black herself than evening, the skin that was covered was anyway.

"Where are we going?"

"Dinner. An Italian restaurant, close enough to walk if you could manage in those shoes," he added. The shoes gave her another three inches of height, until she was about as tall as she would stand in her favoured altered form. She was her 'normal' self tonight, the way she always was around him. He hadn't really considered it much before, but whenever she arrived in his rooms, she was just like this, but if he ever saw her in the castle before Harry's lesson, she was the bubbly strange-colored-haired witch he'd had in class just a year ago. He had essentially separated them in his mind, he supposed, and it was unsettling to dwell on.

"I can manage," Tonks insisted. She did walk there well enough, only halfway tripping once. She grabbed tightly on his arm, and he was able to keep her from falling. After that, she did not relinquish his arm again, clearly a necessity out of her clumsiness, so Severus didn't resist.

The place was cosy and small. Severus had spent enough time scouting out the area before he found it. It seemed upscale enough that he doubted Tonks had visited very often. For some reason, he didn't want to take her to just a corner pub. He found himself not wishing to disappoint the witch, even though she had coerced him into this entirely against his will, he lied to himself.

The menu was a wide enough selection and included Tonk's favorite wine. The witch ordered it with spaghetti and meatballs, and he with a steak.

"Harry's doing very well," Tonks said conversationally after they placed their order.

"Is he? I am not surprised as he seems to have significantly more of the aptitude, as I protested before we began our wager."

"I hadn't meant about his lessons, though he is doing very well in those. I just meant that he seems to be doing well in general. And not just because he earned an "O" in your class either. He's happy. I'm not sure the child's ever been happy before, but he is now, you know. He's going to ask you if I can keep giving lessons over the summer as well, and I hope you say yes. I'd miss him, and havingsuch an easy excuse to see you." Severus raised an eyebrow. The young woman was getting bolder every time they saw each other.

"You are of course welcome to continue your lessons with Harry if you can find the time. I know you are busy," he managed.

"Not really. Just work, but I don't do much after that," the witch laughed. "You saw how much of a wreck my place was, and I get takeaway most nights, so yeah, I have time." In honestly Severus had noticed very little about the flat outside of the woman who resided in it, an unbelievable lack of attention for the former spy. The two lapsed into silence, each sipping on their wine that had arrived, Severus wishing for their food to be there as well.

When food did arrive, he fared no better. The witch was not a delicate eater, though he shouldn't have been surprised, because she was not delicate in any other facet of life. She would even talk with her mouth full on occasion, which Severus should have found absolutely revolting, but instead in was more on the order of… bearable. Her movements were eager, almost endearing. She even spilled more than once, and spaghetti was a terrible choice for her. Finally, excess sauce landed- just above the neckline of that wonderful dress. Severus had trouble focusing on anything of their meal after that, though he was certain later that he had continued conversing. He was an overgrown idiot.

"Shall we retire to the Hog's Head for drinks?" Severus heard himself offering, holding out his arm in what could only be a sign of premature drunkenness, or simply to prevent the unstable young woman from falling. He was going soft, not alert of possible trouble. He was showing a lack of hatred, perhaps even liking, for another person in public. It was almost worthy of a gossip magazine.

*****Harry*****

Harry wasn't sure how he made it through his exams, with the frequency of his headaches increasing, and the fear that Quirrell or Voldemort himself would attack him at any moment. It was when exams were finally over though that the worst blow came. Harry was commenting how lucky it was that no one could get past Fluffy, even if they knew about whatever else was protecting the stone, and Harry was certain that whatever protection his father contributed was secret.

"Fluffy," Hermione squeeked, "But what if- Hagrid might have told someone without realizing, the way he told us most of the things we know about the Stone. How didn't I see it before?" she berated herself, dragging Harry and Ron along. "We have to speak to Hagrid," Hermione insisted.

"The dragon," Harry picked up her train of thought. "Hagrid was drunk and someone just _happened_ to have an illegal dragon egg, one thing that Hagrid's always wanted?" Hermione nodded apprehensively as the three of them picked up to a run.

Ten minutes and a brief conversation with Hagrid later, they sat collapsed on the front steps of the castle.

Harry almost couldn't believe it. Hagrid had told a complete _stranger_ , in a pub, months ago, about how to get past Fluffy. Hagrid didn't even see the man's face, so it easily could have been Quirrell or someone else who followed Voldemort.

We should go straight to Professor Dumbledore," Hermione stated. "He's supposed to be the only one that You-Know-Who ever feared, and he's the one in charge of protecting the stone."

The three students hurrying along the corridors realized that they didn't know where Dumbledore's office was. Harry was about to suggest that they go talk to his father when he caught sight of Professor McGonagall entering the hall.

"Professor, we need to see Professor Dumbledore," Hermione spoke up, and the others nodded vigorously.

"Professor Dumbledore?" their Transfiguration Professor and Head of House asked suspiciously. "And why would three first years need to see Professor Dumbledore?"

"It's about the Philosopher's Stone," Ron burst out, looking at the others apologetically.

The older witch stared at them in shock, "How do you know about the stone?"

"Professor Qu- Professor McGonagall, someone's trying to steal the stone, we're sure of it," Harry half begged her to listen to him. "We really need to speak with Professor Dumbledore."

"Professor Dumbledore is away," McGonagall said formally. "There was an urgent message from the Ministry and he has left for London just minutes ago. He is expected back tomorrow," she said over the protests of the children. "I don't know what you _think_ you know, but believe me, the object you mentioned is highly protected by the most qualified witches and wizards of Hogwarts. It is not, I repeat, _not_ in danger, Mr. Potter."

Harry nodded and led his friends away without a fight. He knew when to give up on talking to an adult. Hermione looked rather upset

"It's tonight," Harry said when no one could hear them. "Quirrell knows just about everything, and maybe he's just willing to try to beat the rest. I bet there wasn't even anything wrong at the Ministry, and Quirrell sent that message just to get Dumbledore away from the castle. I could go- We should go look for Pro- for my father, I think," he said, quickening his pace towards the dungeons.

Harry burst through the door, irritating Lady Slytherin's portrait that he was in such a hurry. Screaming didn't feel right, but he did anyway, "Father, are you here?" He waited several moments for a response. This couldn't be happening. Dumbledore was out of the castle, Professor McGonagall wouldn't do anything or even take them seriously, and his father wasn't there either. Adults weren't helpful. If the three most likely people couldn't or wouldn't even help them, no one else would either.

Harry looked back at the tense faces of his friends, standing at the portrait door, not even really looking around the Slytherin Head rooms, even though that wasn't something anyone normally got to see. They looked as grim as Harry knew he must.

"That's it. Quirrell is going for the stone tonight, maybe even earlier. He could be getting it now even. Dumbledore left the castle, and-" he said, throat tightening. He had so quickly come to… depend on his father to help him, even though he knew that adults were never around when you needed them. "And no one else is around to stop him."

"But, there are all sorts of defenses around the stone, right? Hagrid told us that," Hermione reminded them. "They'll stop Prof- they'll stop _Quirrell_ for sure." It was a mark of the seriousness that Hermione Granger wasn't giving any professor their title of respect.

"But _Quirrell_ is one of those professors protecting the stone. It was probably easy to find out what the others were." Ron insisted.

"Look, I have to go now," Harry whispered, pulling out his invisibility cloak, glad that he had taken his father's suggestion and keep it with him in case of emergencies. "I've already spent a lot of time exhausting the other possibilities. I've thought about it, and it's the only way. Quirrell's going after the stone tonight. If I go now, maybe I can get there first! Don't tell me I'm crazy to do this," Harry warned.

"Only crazy if you think we'd let you do it alone," Ron retorted, though he did quickly look over to Hermione, and smiled when the girl gave a firm nod.

Harry knew he should protest, shouldn't let them risk themselves, but… it felt so good to have them with him, and they didn't have time to stand around.

The three made sure no one was around before throwing Harry's cloak over all of them, making their way to the third floor corridor as quickly and quietly as they could. They had to wait a few minutes as Professor McGonagal went past, as apparently she had decided to at least check on the defenses after their warning. It wouldn't be enough of course.

"Wait a minute," Hermione insisted when they were alone again at Fluffy's door, "We need music for Fluffy."

"We can't wait," Harry protested. "We'll just have to sing or something," he said.

"Hogwarts Song over and over," Ron said, and at nods and Hermione's unlocking spell, Harry wrenched open the door with Fluffy behind it. There was no sign that anyone else had been there, and it was terrifying to attempt to sing while staring at a drowsy giant three-headed beast. The singing was led mostly by Ron, since he'd grown up hearing the song, and Harry and Hermione had only heard it once, though Hermione remembered most of it. "Hogwarts Hogwarts Hoggy Warty Hogwarts. Teach us something please." Was all that Harry could get, and he felt ridiculous singing that much. Harry moved the heavy paw away from the trap door, took a deep breath, and dropped down _almost_ without hesitation.

"It's alright. Come on down," he yelled back up to his friends, and he was quickly followed by two other thumps beside him.

 **A/N: Almost to the end of Year One! I know this chapter is short, but I really didn't want to squish it in with the action of the last chapter- I hope this one is fun in its own right. Interestingly, Harry tried to go right for the stone in cannon (I didn't remember until rereading) but was stopped by McGonagall because he didn't have the invisibility cloak with him to hide under. So, since he keeps it with him in this story, he didn't have to go back to the dorm and wait a while before going again.**

 **Next chapter coming soon! I haven't decided if I should write more of this story after the first year or not. I have a bunch of scattered ideas but nothing coherent yet. Let me know what you think. As always, let me know what you thought of this chapter as well.**


	12. Chapter 12 Under Hogwarts

Chapter 12- Under Hogwarts

*****Harry*****

After several panicked moments concluded with Hermione lighting a fire to deal with the Devil's Snare, the three first years took a moment to breathe and assess their situation.

Harry stuffed his cloak into his pocket again, glad that he had kept it away from the devil's snare and supposing that they wouldn't need it anymore down there. So far, it seemed that they'd already dealt with Hagrid and Professor Sprout's contribution, but there would still be more, likely in Transfiguration, Potions, Charms, for the four Heads of House, and in Defense Against the Dark Arts. The last part didn't sound promising when the person who was supposed to be teaching them defense wanted Harry dead, and wouldn't care if the others died in the process.

 _Well, nothing else to do_ , Harry thought, before wrenching the door in front of them open.

The room was filled with flying birds- no, keys! Harry saw the brooms left by the side wall. This was a challenge that he was up for! Harry supposed that it was done by Professor Flitwick or McGonagall, because it seemed to him like this would need both Charms and Transfiguration work. But it really was just another quidditch game for him.

Harry quickly spotted the key that didn't match the others, large and silver. It wasn't overly difficult for the youngest house team seeker in a hundred years to catch the make-shift snitch. Hermione and Ron even helped him herd it in the right direction. Harry made sure not to harm the wings when he grabbed it, a beautiful piece of magic, he thought.

The next task was similar, but more sinister and logical, Harry thought, and he knew then that it was Professor McGonagall's. A giant chessboard that, as Ron quickly accessed, they had to play their way across. Ron directed their represented army with all of the skill that years of playing parents and older brothers taught him until he was able to beat them all. Harry's dread rose whenever it looked like one of the three of them might be in danger, because this was wizard's chess, brutal breaking of pieces and all.

It was clear after a while that they, or rather Ron, was winning. The black side that they were playing as had far more pieces left.

Harry had been playing enough chess with his friend and his father to know exactly what Ron was planning just before he announced it.

"You can't sacrifice yourself," Harry insisted. "Think of another strategy." Hermione gasped as she too saw what was going on.

"It's the best play on the board, the only one where we'll win for sure," Ron said shakily. "I'm going to put the king in check, and then I'll be taken," he spoke as Hermione started to cry. "Then Harry will be free to checkmate the king. And then you'll have to leave me and go on," he said, moving before either of the other two could say anything more. The two friends shuddered when Ron was hit, but stayed with Ron's plan as Harry checkmated the king and won the game.

Harry and Hermione made sure that Ron was… relatively alright, breathing and- not bleeding badly, were forced to move on, despite their fear for their friend.

Only two more to go, most likely, except for whatever Dumbledore himself had planned, Harry thought.

The unfortunate, familiar stench met their nostrils even before the two children saw the massive mountain troll hurtling towards them. Harry watched as if time were slowed down. He had plenty of time to act, but could not think of a single spell that would work on the beast. Hermione screamed but then managed to get out, "Petrificus Totalus." Whatever that was, it didn't seem to work exactly, but it least it made the brute stumble a bit.

"Again," Harry instructed, idea forming in his mind finally.

"Petrificus Totalus, Petrificus Totalus," Harry heard before a thump. He knew the troll wouldn't really be down for good though.

Harry turned quickly back to the open door that they came from, glancing quickly at Ron's still form, but focusing on the largest piece of sharp rubble that he could find, about half of one of the giant chess pieces. "Wingardium Leviosa," he though, hoping that he could handle maneuvering this. It had worked well enough last time, and it was his only plan. Somehow he managed it, moving the large rock above the troll that struggled on the ground under Hermione's repeated spells. He let his spell drop, only to lift and repeat, until the troll didn't move. He was pretty sure that the thing wasn't dead, but it was at least unconscious, and Harry felt sick from more than just the thing's smell.

"Come on," Harry called to Hermione, who stood too near to the troll. It could still wake up and grab her.

The two crossed the now open doorway, springing quickly over the threshold when fire burst around the doorway behind them. Purple fire. Harry glanced to the other side to see black fire dancing around that frame. He didn't think he fancied his chances just running through either of them.

Seven bottles and a scroll lay on a table before them. His father's contribution.

Harry's stomach turned again. If he wasn't going to make it through this, he would have rather it have been from fighting the troll rather than slowly from whatever poison was in those bottles. Hermione was busy reading the scroll. Harry didn't even bother looking at what it said.

"It's a puzzle," Hermione explained. One bottle will take us through each door, two just have wine. And three are- well, poison."

"Well, we can't risk it, but we have to get out somehow," Harry reasoned.

"Quiet," Hermione chastised. "I told you it was a puzzle. I can figure it out," she said, reading the parchment again. Finally, she smiled. "The round bottle on the right will get us out when it's over. But- the smallest will let us go forward. Except- I imagine there's only enough in the smallest bottle for one person," she concluded.

"Then I'll go forward and you go back to check on Ron. I'll meet you in just a few minutes," Harry instructed bravely.

"Maybe if I go out and then come back in, the room will reset and I can take the correct one across to join you."

"Maybe," Harry agreed, but felt unsure. "Just promise me you'll at least check on Ron first. If he looks any worse you've got to get him to the Hospital Wing right away. You can take the brooms to from the key room to make it back up. I'll be fine," he said, half to himself.

Hermione nodded in agreement, and each took the correct potion, making it across their respective doors easily.

Harry was surprised and delighted to find himself faced with the mirror that he had seen before, with the strange writing at the top that he had deemed the Mirror of Erised. Unsure of what to do, he stepped in front of the mirror.

Instead of seeing the family he had seen before, He saw himself holding a small red stone, and then putting it in his pocket. Harry almost yelled when he felt the slight pull on his robe as a very real weight dropped into his pocket, just like it had in the mirror. Harry pulled it out, jaw slightly dropping, to see what could only be the Philosopher's Stone in his hands.

Harry slipped the stone back into his pocket for safety, now considering what they would do with the thing until they could get it to his father or Professor Dumbledore.

For the first time, he considered the consequences if he couldn't prove that the stone had been in danger and all of the adults were too angry to understand. Surely it would at least prove that the security wasn't strong enough if three children had been able to defeat the tasks? And protecting the stone was what was ultimately most important. _It was_ _good that Quirrell didn't get here first. Everything will be okay, wont it?_ Harry thought before his heart nearly stopped when he heard Hermione scream.

Harry didn't even hesitate barreling through what he thought could be burning purple flames. The fire didn't seem concerned with stopping him from leaving though. Only the next fire touching his face made him stumble back for a mouthful from the large round bottle Hermione had drank from before sprinting back through that fire as well.

They had started too late. He shouldn't have even tried to get help. It had just been a waste of time. And now, he could be too late to help Hermione, he thought as he burst through the doorway, wand raised, _for all that it would do for him_ , he thought as he raced past the mercifully unmoving troll.

The scene in the next room that Harry took in was grim. Ron was still on the floor of the chess board room, evidently still unconscious. Hermione was barely on her feet, ropes wrapping their way around her as he watched. Harry couldn't even see her wand. Quirrell was saying something to her, but Harry was too frantic to take in words. His scar had started to burn as badly as it had when he had been in the forest with the dead unicorn.

"Petrificus Totalus," Harry managed, saying the spell that Hermione had used to stop the troll. To his astonishment, it actually worked. And then Quirrell was falling forward, turban dislodged to one side as he fell. Harry didn't even pay attention. He ran to Hermione, freeing her from the bindings and pushing her towards Ron who was starting to move slightly, Harry thought.

Harry was just thinking that maybe they'd be okay, and Harry could… run after them too, when he heard a strange, terrifying voice. His scar hurt even more fiercely. "Finite," the voice rasped.

Harry turned to see Quirrell standing up, but it wasn't really Quirrell. Harry's mouth wouldn't close. Quirrell's back was to Harry, but there was another face on the back of his head where the turban usually covered.

"You already knew that Quirrell was my servant, didn't you, boy?" the face, Voldemort, said. "You knew even before you saw him drinking unicorn blood for me, didn't you?"

"Yes," Harry replied, trying to sound braver than he felt. What could he do against the most feared wizard he'd ever heard of, even if the man was weakened? And he still had to think of Hermione and Ron, still in the room.

"I hoped that I would have another loyal servant, Severus Snape, at this castle. He was mine once, you know. But _now_ , now I think he is yours, just because of your shared blood. He will pay for that folly with his life," the voice whispered harshly.

Harry tried to ignore the monster's words, shaking his head violently.

"But _you_ , you won't be such a fool," the half-man said, trying to sound smooth. "You can join me. Join me or you will meet the same end as your parents; your mother years ago, and your precious father the moment I leave here."

"NO!" Harry screamed, finding his voice.

"Well, now, perhaps we can negotiate over your father's life if you were to join me."

"Never," Harry said, trying to motion to Hermione to run to the door. She had to get out.

"You have the stone already," the parasite said, slowly backing towards Harry. "Give it to me and your friends will live," it screeched. Hermione fell over on top of Ron when hit with a red jet of light.

"NO!" Harry yelled, longing forward, bodily attacking the evil man, completely not sure of anything else he could do, spells forgotten.

He knocked the unstable, backwards facing Quirrell over. The contact hurt worse than anything Harry had ever felt in his life, but both Quirrell and Voldemort were shrieking as well. Harry leaned on the possessed man's back, placing his burning hands directly on the deformed face on the back of Quirrell's head. Harry, Quirrell, and Voldemort all screamed until Harry saw black and felt no more.

****Severus*****

Minerva had sent an owl that found him at the Hog's Head.

A _date_ , he had left the castle for a date when Harry could have needed him, when the boy _did_ need him. Worse, he had barely thought of the child at all the entire night.

Harry could have been dead in the time he was gone. How many times could he sprint through Hogwarts halls to see what had happened before the child's luck ran out? Severus noticed Tonks panting beside him, running as well. She held her black heels in her hands as she ran. They both came to stop in the quiet Hospital Wing beside the child's bed.

"I'm sorry. It's my fault that you weren't here earlier," the woman beside him cried, "Maybe you could have stopped him," Tonks sniffed. Severus had not noticed that she had been wearing make-up until looking at the young witch at that moment, black streak leaking from her eyes with tears.

Tragically beautiful, he thought despite himself. He couldn't stop his hand from reaching out and wiping one away. He had been furious before his run. Angry at the witch for taking him away from the castle, because she was an easy target to be angry at. But Tonks cared for Harry too. He watched the woman cry as she looked down at his son. His _son_. Had he even said the word son aloud? He certainly hadn't said… love.

And here he was, only to wish he could say them now to the stupid, reckless boy. The child, still so tiny in the hospital bed, for all that Severus knew the child had made significant height and weight improvements over the year. He was so small, helpless, unconscious.

Severus noticed for the first time the other children in the room. Miss Granger sat awake, silently hugging her knees to her chin, sitting in the middle of a hospital bed but seeming unharmed. Weasley was in the next bed over and had his head wrapped in a potion laced bandage, unconscious just like his son. The young witch looked frequently between her two injured friends.

Severus sighed and spoke to the girl, "You figured out my riddle, did you? I wouldn't believe it of either of the others."

"Yes sir," the child replied, not meeting his eyes.

"You could have been killed, child," he sighed again.

"We- we weren't going to be able to talk Harry out of going, and we weren't going to let him go alone. And it was important, sir, to get to the stone. We did try other options-" the girl said weakly.

"But I wasn't there," Severus surmised. The girl didn't have to nod for Severus to know he was right.

"I didn't listen to them," came another voice from the doorway. Minerva. "The children came to me about the stone, particularly worried because Albus was out of the castle. I should have known that they would take matters into their own hands. I apologize, Severus, and Miss Granger. I checked on the corridor, and wrote to Albus, but I should have done more," the old, usually stern witch choked down a sob. Severus looked around at the room full of people that cared about the small dark-haired boy in the hospital bed, regardless of his parentage.

"Will Weasley be alright?" Severus asked in spite of himself.

"Yes," Granger answered promptly. "He took a blow to the head in the enchanted chess match, but Madame Pomfrey said he would be alright with a little sleep. He was conscious for a few minutes while she worked on him," the girl explained.

"He led the match, yes? He directed all the pieces. And sacrificed himself so that the game could be won, yes? The child even picked a… knight, didn't he?" Severus asked, almost smiling in spite of himself. He had warmed to the youngest Weasley boy without realizing it and rather against his own will.

"Yes," the girl confirmed quietly.

"And my son will be alright, Poppy?" Severus asked the matron who had reappeared, the question he had been dreading, avoiding.

"There isn't much physically wrong with him outside of rather severe magical depletion," Madame Pomfrey explained. "It may take him a few days to wake up, but he shouldn't be harmed beyond that. Weasley was in more danger for a time."

The mediwitch was good at what she did. Severus nodded, slightly more able to breathe, resisting allowing tears to his own eyes, even while they flooded those of the others in the room.

*****Harry *****

Harry blinked, everything around him bright white, blurry in that moment as if he needed glasses again. His vision started to clear as he saw- "Dad? I mean- Pr- Father?"

The man looked uncomfortable but said, "Yes- son, I'm here. You can call me whatever you like, Harry," his father said, fidgeting.

"Quirrell!" Harry said, sitting up quickly, "Did he get the stone? I tried to keep hold of it, but I guess I blacked out and-"

"The stone is safe, truly safe this time. Destroyed, which is what should have been when the danger was first realized," his father explained.

"But they'll die, Nicholas Flamel and his wife will die without the potions," Harry protested.

"As everyone else dies without living as many hundreds of years as they have enjoyed. I believe they have enough saved to get their affairs in order. Humans aren't meant to live that long, Harry. They saw their grandchildren die centuries ago now. They've had more than their share of life and accomplished many great things in it. Do not trouble yourself greatly over their passing. I do not believe they would wish you to. I am sure they are grateful that you prevented Flamel's creation from entering the wrong hands."

"And- Quirrell? Is he dead? Did I kill him? I didn't really mean to," Harry mumbled.

"No, child. From Miss Granger's description, Quirrell allowed himself to be possessed, gave his body up for loss, guaranteeing his own death months ago. I believe that when- when You-Know-Who left his weakened body, that would have killed him. However, even if it was your hand, I would not want you to feel guilt over it. You were acting in defense, child, and Quirinus became a very bad man. We can talk about this again, whenever you want," his father said. "But I think you should not overwork yourself when you've just woken up."

"Are you still mad at me? For going down there myself?"

His father sighed and to Harry's relief said, "It is rather difficult to remain furious at an unconscious child. I am not mad at you, son. Concerned, expecting you _not_ to do so again, but not angry. Harry nodded and smiled a bit, though all of it together was far more than he wanted to think about. He took in his surroundings, eyes lying on the large pile of sweats and cards, larger even than the number of sweets he had received at Christmas. "From your admirers and friends," his father drawled, momentarily reminding Harry of how he was when they first met, his potions professor insisting that Harry was a celebrity demanding to be the center of attention.

"Why would they give me anything?" Harry asked quietly.

His father raised an eyebrow, "A variety of reasons, I imagine. Guilt for many of them, the Gryffindors anyway, feeling bad for being so harsh to you after you lost those points well over a month ago. Some of the gifts come from gratitude because they have realized that you had assisted in preventing a terrible situation. Others sprout from genuine concern for your well-being and perhaps an underlying desire to rot out your teeth," his father actually _joked_ , Harry thought.

"People- I- how long have I been out?" Harry settled on a question that he wasn't too afraid to ask.

"Three days," the older wizard admitted quietly. I am sure Mr. Weasley and Miss Granger will be very happy to see you well. And Miss Tonks. I- am pleased as well," he said.

Harry smiled, growing in courage, "People know what happened down there?" Harry asked. He wasn't sure what had even happened himself, and he had been there.

"Somewhat. No doubt, the details are horribly wrong. I am not sure how many actual facts your friends have shared. And of course, no one except perhaps you, knows the entire story. Miss Granger regained consciousness after the… action was over and retrieved help, but I have heard what she knew already."

"I don't know what happened after I blacked out, or why it hurt him for me to touch him. Or why being around Quirrell- or I guess it was Voldemort, hurt my scar so much."

His father was quiet for several moments, "Both are clearly connected to when the Dark- when You-Know-who tried to kill you but was unable to do so, or perhaps they share a common reason even before that. It is unknown and unusual territory in magic. As far as we understand, we are reasonably certain that you were hit with a curse that is supposed to kill anyone it touches, but not leave a mark. You, quite the opposite, were given a cursed scar but survived. We will monitor it accordingly in the future," he paused, and Harry knew that the next words would be more difficult for him to say, "Albus, Professor Dumbledore's theory is that your mother gave her life to save you, lending you protection. It is rubbish of course, because thousands of mothers have died for their children over the course of human existence, and no similar instances of such a link have been documented. Though, perhaps, due to the magical nature of all involved, perhaps if she otherwise would not have been killed…- perhaps there is some amount of merit to Professor Dumbledore's idea, but that is far too much uncertainty to even call a real theory."

"He said something about you, Vol- You-Know-Who did. He said you used to be his follower. Is that true?"

His father sighed, and Harry thought he looked older, more burdened than he had in months. "Yes, child it is."

The rest of what the half-man said came back to him, "Dad, Dad, he said he'd _kill_ you! He knew! He knew that you weren't going to follow him anymore. I guess he knew because of Quirrell, and he said that he'd kill you, except maybe if I gave him the stone and did what he said, but I said no and- and-" Harry had talked himself out. "And Quirrell's dead but Vol- but You-Know-Who isn't, is he?" Harry said, remembering that his father didn't use the man's name.

"No, I imagine that he is not dead, and will likely try a different method to return to his former power in the future. It is _not_ your job to try to prevent any such occurrence, but only to tell me if you hear of anything, without seeking out that information on your own. And yes, I am not surprised that he has gathered that I would not be rejoining his forces. I am, after all, the father of a little _celebrity_ , even if you do not wish to be so. I am fully capable of defending myself, though I realize I have thus far showed no expertise. Do you need to- ask more questions?"

 _Was he afraid to ask questions? What did he want to know?_ "I- you wouldn't follow him, even if you weren't my father, though." Harry didn't word it as a question, though he was afraid it would sound bad when he said it.

"I have not been _his_ for many years, child, before you were born."

"I know," Harry said, though he didn't have any reason to know at all. "I don't think I'm ready to ask anything right now, because I- don't even know what to ask. But I might later, if that's okay. I bet you don't like to talk about it either, and that's fine too."

"No, I don't," the older wizard admitted with another sigh, Harry thought perhaps of relief, thought Harry wasn't sure if it was relief that Harry wasn't going to ask any more questions, or simply relief that Harry knew now about his past in the first place. "But I will, at least to some degree, if you need me to. I am sorry that I wasn't there when you needed me," he said quietly. Harry could tell that it had really been bothering him.

"It's- okay. I don't expect you to always be around."

"But I _should_ be," his father said with more force. "You are _eleven_. You are not to even attempt to handle dangerous or even _difficult_ situations by yourself."

"You can't be in your rooms all the time and I didn't have time to check the whole castle," Harry said, calmer than he thought possible.

"But I wasn't in the castle. I was in Hogsmeade, in a _pub_ , with… with Miss Tonks, and I shouldn't have been."

"Oh. Was it like- a date?" Harry asked. He had certainly not expected that answer.

"In a manner, yes. It- was result of a bet at her request, not mine, but it was childish and inappropriate and shall not happen again."

"Why not?" Harry asked, feeling like his father was too upset over all this. Nothing turned out too badly and Harry was fine, after all. "I think she likes you."

"Miss Tonks- Miss Tonks is closer to your age than my own. Much closer in fact. It is entirely inappropriate. Do you not recall when I told you of Salazar Slytherin and his young wife?" Severus thought of those months ago when he told the boy about the namesake of his house. By all accounts, the man married a younger witch just to produce an heir, of which Severus had no need, and would not have gone to any lengths to extend his family line previously either. Severus Snape was not deaf, blind, or unintelligent. He knew very well that Nymphadora Tonks had harbored some- _infatuation_ for him for months. That simply had no bearings on the realm of possibilities as far as he could see.

"That's different. And hundreds of years ago, a thousand even, so how do you know they weren't really happy together anyway? I don't get it. Miss Tonks is a grown up and she likes you. And she's nice. I like her."

"I don't believe that she would stop seeing you or having your lessons just because she no longer associates with me," his father tried to reassure him, not understanding his distress.

Harry sat up straighter in his bed and said boldly, "No. You're not listening. She _likes_ you, and I think you might like her too- if you gave her a chance. She's really funny, but she can be serious too. She says the right things a lot, and she's really nice. She listens really well."

"You should rest," his father said, and Harry knew a dismissal when he heard it, even if it was a nice one. His father was uncomfortable. "I did hear what you said, and I listened. I will take it under consideration. Sleep well," he said, placing a hand on the Harry's head and walking quickly out of the room, but he did look back before he left.

*****Harry*****

Harry went down to the feast alone that evening, after finally being given permission to leave the Hospital Wing. He searched the High Table first, receiving a nod from his father as he scurried to his seat as the whispers from the hall picked up as he walked.

Harry was glad when Dumbledore started talking, taking the attention away from himself. That way, Harry could just sit with his two best friends and enjoy the feast.

Slytherin had won the Cup again this year, as they had for several years before, from what Harry had heard. Harry didn't really care anymore though. He and Draco Malfoy weren't really enemies, like he thought they would always be at the beginning of that year. He didn't really interact much with the Slytherins at all, but they didn't seem as bad as others had made them out to me.

Harry only regretted that he hadn't had the opportunity to help Gryffindor try to win the Quidditch Cup, the last game happening while he was unconscious. There were house points that went along with Quidditch games too, but Harry cared more for the Quidditch Cup for its own sake and for the team's, especially Oliver's. Harry hadn't really been paying attention to what Dumbledore way saying until he said something about point needing to be awarded. _What?_

*"…To Mr. Ronald Weasley, for the best played game of chess that Hogwarts has seen in many years, I award Gryffindor House twenty points." Cheers rose from the Gryffindor table. With that jump, students were saying that they were in second place. Voices were especially raised from the Weasley family, even Percy.

*"To Miss Hermione Granger, for the use of cool logic in the face of fire, I award Gryffindor House twenty points." Cheering was even louder this time if possible. Hermione had ducked her head down, and Harry wondered if she was crying. Half of Gryffindors were looking expectantly at him now, rather than Dumbledore. Dumbledore had already given points to the other two who were with him that night. Dumbledore seemed silent forever. Students had all but shouted that Gryffindor was only behind now by twenty more points. Students knew that they had a chance- at what- _surely not winning_? Harry frowned.

"And, to Mr. Harry Potter," Dumbledore finally said, silencing the room. "For pure nerve and outstanding courage, I award Gryffindor House thirty points." Dumbledore proclaimed, as the cheers began around Harry. "And so, I believe a change of decorations are in order," Dumbledore declared, rising to his feet.

"NO," Harry found himself shrieking, standing up as well and startling the entire hall. Cheering from the Gryffindors quieted abruptly.

"Yes- Mr. Potter?" Dumbledore asked, bewilderment even on his face. The hall was completely silent.

But he still had to speak. "I- I shouldn't be rewarded for something that should have gotten me killed. I'm only _eleven_. And it's not fair- to take it away from the Slytherins so suddenly. It's bad for- for interhouse relations," Harry protested, knowing that all of his house would hate him forever for this, that it would be so much worse than just losing fifty points earlier in the year. Even Ron and Hermione would hate him- he was thinking before Ron stood up beside him. Hermione stood as well, only half a beat behind.

"Harry's right," Ron said. "If we'd won the cup and it was taken away during the feast, I'd feel pretty rubbish," Ron declared. "But we weren't _really_ reckless, sirs. Not like with the troll. We did try to- to exhaust other options first," Ron protested, looking straight at Harry's dad rather than the Headmaster.

"Alright then, Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley. As headmaster, it is my judgment that the points for brave deeds stays in place, but I believe ten points shall be taken apiece from the two of you for interrupting the feast. Does that sound fair?" the old man asked, expression unreadable. Grumblings were beginning to start up at the Gryffindor table already. It had been years since anyone but Slytherin had one the House Cup. Even Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff had been supportive of the change, but Harry didn't think that was very fair either.

"Ten points," Harry's dad, Professor Severus Snape, said silencing the hall with his voice, "To Gryffindor for care of interhouse unity," the entire school listened to him say as he looked directly at Harry.

Harry could only look at his father and smile, blinking away the tears that couldn't be allowed to fall, at least not until everyone stopped looking at him. He barely noticed when Ron hauled him back down to his seat.

A _tie_. Whispers soon broke out wondering if there had ever been a tie before. Gryffindors could easily hear Hermione Granger saying that there _was_ precedence for a tie for the House Cup, though there had not been one during the tenure of the last four headmasters. Congratulations from the Gryffindors had started to rain down upon them. Gryffindors were quick to accept that apparent idiocy was actually nobility that they should be behind. Ron and Harry even heard a few apologies from those who had been angry when Harry first stood up.

An idea occurred to Harry and he quickly rose to his feet again, but this time turning to the Slytherin table. "Congratulations!" he shouted and gave a quick wave. He caught the eye of Draco Malfoy who actually nodded. Harry looked at a few other Slytherins that he recognized, from his year and from the quidditch team. He received a few friendly enough nods there as well. There were smiles even from the younger ones. Harry scrambled back to his seat with his friends, knowing his face was as red as a Weasley's, but happy with what he had done. Happy especially that his father had approved. His father didn't even try to take the other points away, though maybe just because Harry was willing to give them up himself. His dad was like that.

*****Harry*****

After just a bit of begging, Harry was boarding the Hogwarts Express with his friends. He helped Ron and Hermione load their trunks onto the train, because he didn't have one of his own to bother with.

Harry knew that his dad was on the train somewhere, not wanting Harry to be so far away for the few hours the train ride took. His father had said that it would be convenient so that they could leave the station promptly after the train arrived, to make the trip back together- much quicker than the train, but Harry knew that his father was worried about him. Severus Snape was not someone who would simply volunteer to be in a train full of 'hormonal cretins,' as he had fairly recently called them, for the sake of convenience.

Harry sat back and smiled, listening to Hermione say something about how they really needed to start on their summer work, and wondering when she could get the required book list for the next year early to begin studying ahead. She had found the list of the previous second years, of course, but there was always the chance that a teacher could change their minds and require an alternate book, and of course there would be a new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher to learn the teaching methods of, and she couldn't _begin_ to guess what he or she might want to assign them to read.

Ron was on Harry's other side, whispering about how Harry would have to get to come to his house, the Burrow, at some point in the summer. And about how Harry should ask if Ron could come visit up at Hogwarts. That way they could use the real live quidditch pitch, and Ron could practice more with the spare Nimbus 2000.

Harry wasn't really listening to either of his friends though, so it was helpful that neither of them seemed to need anyone to actually respond to keep up a conversation.

Harry was still marveling that he wasn't headed back to the Dursleys at that moment; that he would never have to see the Dursleys again. It wouldn't have felt right to go anywhere else, because Hogwarts was his home, and he even had a family there now. He found himself thinking of his room in the dungeons with a smile. He had his _own_ room that he didn't even have to share with the other Gryffindor boys. It would be a bit lonelier without his friends around, but there was an entire castle to explore. And his father had said that he would teach him enough chess to give Ron a challenge. And Hagrid would be around, at least. And Tonks had said that she would keep visiting. Yes, life was better than Harry could have even imagined less than a year ago.

*****Severus*****

Almost a day after the students had left, Severus had finally found what he sought. Severus's heart flew to his throat at the sight of the mirror. He had looked for hours around the damned castle, only successful after employing house elf assistance to find the damned mirror. It was ridiculous anyway, because he was a grown man and a skilled Occlumens, master of his own emotions. He was not some child who needed a magic relic to tell him what he really wanted. And yet, here he was standing in the room with the mirror, too intimidated to step in front.

Bracing his feet directly in front of the mirror, Severus opened his eyes. Lily was there. Of course she was. Why was Severus almost surprised to see her? He noticed that she was trying to say something. When he focused on her words, "I forgive you," the simple words repeated on her lips, as he mouthed them as well.

Mirror Lily reached out a hand to mirror Snape, but the connection was never made. Instead she leaned down and patted Harry on the head. Harry was there- of course he was. The child smiled at his mother, but gripped mirror Severus's hand tightly, the small hand held fast in his larger one. Severus barely noticed when the Lily in the mirror floated off. Floated off? Why did she leave? In the mirror, why would he _want_ her to leave? He stared at the mirror again, only he and Harry could be clearly seen, but there were other happy people, indistinct in the background, floating closer at times almost clear, but still clouded in the mirror. He saw a particularly lovely brown head of hair that hovered just barely concealed in the haze near his shoulder. He stared, trying to discern the figure.

"Leave me alone, old coot," Severus said suddenly, sensing the other presence around him. "This mirror isn't your own psychological study."

"Of course, Severus," Albus Dumbledore said, revealing himself. "I will be in my office for a while if you do feel like chatting. Or perhaps you'd rather see Harry," the old man suggested, "It is a beautiful day out by the lake or by the pitch. Before refereeing that match, I hadn't seen you flying in years, my boy. Perhaps it's something the two of you could bond over."

"Meddling fool," Severus muttered, watching the older wizard leave him be. Though, perhaps a fly around wasn't the worst idea. He hadn't seen Harry enough, and other students had been gone for a day. Harry was probably lonely by now. Severus turned his back on the room and left, wondering where he would find Harry.

*Rowling, J.K. (2012-03-27). Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (Harry Potter, Book 1). Pottermore Limited. Kindle Edition.

 **A/N: End Year One! Thank you to nice reviews and encouraging ideas to continue. Please review to give me more inspiration and support!**


	13. Chapter 13 New Beginnings

Chapter 13- New Beginnings

*****Severus*****

The first week of summer fell into a pattern that Severus never thought he would find so much enjoyment in. He and Harry would spend a few hours a day working on their own studies, Harry's summer work and Severus's personal research.

Severus would often look over the boy's progress as well. They would have meals together, usually in his own quarters. Harry would spend some time alone in the castle or the grounds, trained to call for a house elf the moment he needed anything. Severus had placed a tracing charm and various alerts on the boy now as well. Severus had taken the child to Hogsmeade once already, a treat for the boy to experience the village beyond the train station before his third year. Severus had even agreed to take the boy again in a week when at least half the Weasley clan would meet them there.

Severus thought that was quite selfless, willing to spend time in the same vicinity of _multiple_ _Weasleys_ when school wasn't even in session. Harry had already arranged a day in about a month for the Weasleys and Grangers to all be in Diagon Alley once school lists were out. He hadn't told the child yet, but Severus was even considering allowing the youngest Weasley boy to visit Harry at the castle, perhaps even to stay a few days. No one in the wizarding world would have believed such a thing of Severus Snape.

In the long Scottish summer evenings, Harry and Severus could often be seen flying in the quidditch pitch. Severus even began using the spare Nimbus 2000 when he was tired of being outmatched by the boy both in skill and in broom model, though he never would have admitted to Minerva that he used the thing. On days with poorer weather, they would spend evenings by the fire in their quarters, for the dungeon was a bit cold even in the summer. Most often they would play chess, which Harry had taken quite a liking to.

Severus was anticipating with very mixed emotions the child's next metamorphmagus lesson.

*****Harry*****

Harry had never arrived at their classroom before his teacher. He worried for several minutes before the door creaked open. She looked a mess, and Harry noticed that she was in her base form, which she never was before their lesson even began. Her hair didn't look like it had had any attention- even to be washed, in days, so Harry suspected that she had been in her base form for a while.

"Wotcher," his teacher greeted weakly.

"What's wrong?" Harry asked.

"I can't even give a lesson today. You're a better metamorphmagus than I am," she said, which Harry knew wasn't true. He still had trouble maintaining forms or coming up with made up people to look like. "But you can learn that it is difficult to maintain your form when you are- emotionally distressed."

"Why are you upset?" Harry asked quietly.

"Because, Harry, you could have been _killed_ because of me. Because I took your father away from the castle. Or maybe just because I've been delusional for months. Take your pick." Tonks ranted, releasing her feelings.

*****Tonks*****

Tonks was surprised from her moping to feel small arms wrap around her. She looked down to see the Harry's black mop of hair, the child she felt so guilty, so _responsible_ for. And he was trying to comfort _her_. When he was the one with every right to be upset.

"But I'm _fine_ ," he said. "And… and like I told him, maybe even if he was in the castle, he wouldn't have been in his rooms. And maybe if he had been there, _he_ could have gotten hurt. I know I shouldn't have done it but- but it… it turned out okay. Just don't- worry about it, okay? I'm fine, and he's okay. And he's not mad at you, if you were worried about that. And he's not mad at me either. And- and I think he even likes you. I mean _really likes you_. He just doesn't show it like most people do."

Tonks smiled a bit. The child was wrong of course, about Severus, but he meant well. And Harry was safe, even if Severus was right that his self-preservation was too low. Tonks felt her magic in a way that told her that she would be able to morph herself again.

So they might as well go on with their lesson. Even if all she would ever be to the child was his teacher, and even thoug she wouldn't have anything at all with Severus, she would do the best she could for the boy.

*****Severus*****

Severus paced his room, having given up on accomplishing anything productive not long after Harry had left their quarters. Severus wasn't sure when he had even started thinking of them as _their_ quarters. When Harry returned alone and started preparing for bed, Severus continued to pace.

"How was your lesson?" he asked, wondering if he had ever asked the boy before. He needed to work on communication. He enjoyed their companionable silences, but he hadn't considered that that might not be the boy's preference.

"It was good. Miss Tonks was- pretty upset at first."

"Why was she upset?" Severus stopped his pacing.

"I- I think you should see her," Harry said. He didn't appear to have anything further to say.

"She has left the castle?" Severus asked, walking aimlessly again.

"Yes, sir. But I think she'd still like to see you. She said she was going to use Professor Dumbledore's floo. I think she was just going home."

Severus knew the boy must think he was mad, caught in his ceaseless pacing. "I'm going out for a bit. You'll be alright? You'll call for a house elf or floo to the headmaster's office if you feel unsafe?"

"Yes sir," the child said, _smiling_.

"1312 West Beaks St. E20," Severus said, stepping into his floo, entirely insane. This was rash and Gryffindor-ish, and… and entirely insane. He stepped out of the grate on the other end, first seeing the wand pointed at him. She was an auror after all. The witch lowered it slowly.

"You didn't come by my rooms after your lesson," Severus said, feeling suddenly helpless. The witch didn't have to come see him if she didn't want to. So, in response to his own distress, he had decided to come, uninvited into her private residence. Though she had never minded doing the same to him…

Severus noticed that unlike almost every time he had seen her this year, she was in her most common altered form, which she would sometimes use in their lessons, but more often didn't. Did it bother him that she resembled the girl he taught for years? Why was she always in her base for around him, when she wasn't even in it when she was in her own home alone?"

"No, I didn't," was all she replied.

"Why?"

"I- didn't think I would be welcome?" she said, almost a question.

"Was it because Harry was staying in the rooms?" he asked cautiously.

"No. It's because I've been some silly little girl living in some fantasy, and I could have gotten your son killed," she said. Severus thought she was about to cry. He hadn't seen her cry except for that one, terrible night.

"No, you're not," he told her with certainty, "You're not silly, or a girl. You haven't been for a while, and I haven't thought of you as such, since the moment you first broke into my quarters, since you invaded my- personal comfort."

Tonks gave a bit of a laugh, "Well, there were things you needed to hear. That was rather bold of me, wasn't it?"

Emboldened himself, Severus walked the three strides between them. He placed his hand on either side of her face, even if it wasn't quite the same face that he had been thinking about for months. It was still her. He leaned in, what had to have been excruciatingly slowly, and she did not pull away. Severus could feel the magic in his lips and hands when she melted into her base form. The magic felt so relaxing and absolutely perfect. Everything about those moments was flawless. Severus leaned forward to almost seamlessly keep contact with her lips and cheeks as she reverted to her shorter form. He felt her hands touch the nape of his neck before reaching into his perpetually greasy hair. He dropped one had from her cheek to pull her closer to him.

Severus broke the kiss what he thought was a few minutes later, though he couldn't tell. He ran his nose along her cheek, almost _cuddling_ it into her neck. She had said she _liked_ his ungainly nose. "I've wanted to do that for months," he admitted, whispered into her neck.

Tonks was breathing heavily, "You knew I would have let you."

"I know. I had to get over myself, I suppose. To look forward instead of behind?" he said, still unsure of himself, even after the best kiss of his life by far. "What do you say, Nymphadora?" It had felt right to take that one more liberty.

The witch scrunched her nose, similar to when she would change her form, though she didn't, "Call me Dora," she instructed. The witch smiled then, arms around his neck. She had to have been on her toes or making herself taller, because he was barely leaning over her now.

Severus stopped wondering which as she kissed him again, as electric as the first, even without actual magic happening. It was perhaps not fairy-tale-traditionally perfect. Severus's large nose pressed into her face, and it was difficult for him to breathe through it, just like during their first kiss. She no doubt thought it felt odd, after she coaxed him into opening his mouth, rubbing her tongue over his crooked teeth. But she didn't seem to mind his nose or teeth or greasy hair that she ran her fingers through. And for the first time in his life, Severus couldn't bring himself to care about them either as he surrendered himself into another perfect kiss.

 **A/N: I couldn't really feel any closure to the year without a real Snape/Tonks moment, and I wanted to give some time for each pair of characters to have their time in this tiny chapter. Stay tuned for what it to follow, though I am not exactly sure of my future posting timeline. Please leave feedback and encouragement!**


	14. Chapter 14 The Best Birthday

**A/N: I hadn't planned on posting this until I had more written, but after learning of the death of the great Alan Rickman, I wanted to post something. Editing was rushed, but I'm pretty happy with it. RIP to one of the greatest actors we will ever see. Also, today is my birthday, so I will never forget this date.**

Morphed Secrets Chapter 14– The Best Birthday

*****Harry*****

Harry frowned slightly when Hedwig landed on his shoulder without a message for him again. He had been expecting letters from his friends regularly, and it was already two weeks into the summer without hearing from either of them. He wouldn't have been surprised, except they had both been so insistent that they would write. Hedwig seemed unusually agitated as well, like she was trying to tell him something that he was too slow to understand. He had sent her off with a letter to Ron and he had expected Ron to send back a response with Hedwig, in case the Weasley owl, Errol wasn't feeling up to a trip. If Hermione couldn't write, he would understand that a bit better, since she lived in a muggle neighborhood, maybe she didn't want owls flying around, but that didn't sound like Hermione either. Maybe she was already on vacation with her family and just was too busy to write to him?

Hogwarts was loads better than where Harry used to live, so he'd never complain, but he did like it better with the other students around, or his friends at least. He'd go see Hagrid sometimes though, and about half the days he'd go flying with his father, and sometimes he'd go by himself, which he was allowed to do if he brought one of the elves with him. He pretty much had to take an elf with him anywhere, but he quickly found that they knew absolutely everything about the castle and were fascinating when one would actually talk with him. His favorite was Milly, a younger house elf whose primary duties were cleaning classrooms and guest quarters. Harry hadn't even known that the castle even had guest quarters, but it made sense, since Harry figured that the castle was big enough for just about everything, and there were always empty classrooms around that didn't seem to be used for anything, so it made sense that there could be guest rooms somewhere too.

*****Severus*****

"What's bothering you, child?" Severus asked when Harry returned to their quarters looking like someone had stolen a favorite toy of his. Severus even checked to make sure the child still held his broom.

"It's not much. I- haven't gotten any letters from my friends, and they said they'd write, but I guess they're busy," the child said, looking at his feet.

Severus studied the boy in front of him. He thought the child's friends were considerate enough to pen a letter of some kind back? No they were better than that, definitely caring about Harry's well-being. "There is likely an explanation. We'll use the floo. You remember about the floo, yes?"

"You can use it to talk to people and to go see them. But- it seems rude to barge in."

"You do not have to- send all of yourself. It may seem undignified, but it is the more courteous action," he said, taking a pinch of floo powder, tossing it into the fireplace and crouching down to his knees to stick just his head in the flames. He hated this, terribly uncomfortable to be on his knees on the stones, and more nauseating than he would admit.

"Hello?" He called, feeling like a school boy rather than a- parent in his thirties. "This is Severus Snape to talk to Mr. or Mrs. Weasley." He couldn't take it back as he had started saying it. Mr. or Mrs., what was he, a child? Arthur or Molly would have been much more appropriate.

"Severus?" came the voice of the Weasley matriarch. Of course, Arthur would likely be at work in the middle of the day. He noticed Ron running into the room just a few steps behind his mother, a smile actually on the child's face.

"Did he get my letter, can Harry come visit?" the boy asked quickly. "I've sent two now, and he hasn't responded, but Errol isn't very good, you know.

"Ron, let your professor talk," Molly Weasley chided, though she began speaking herself. "We would love to have Harry over, Severus, to stay as long as you would allow. Of course if you would like to come for tea or dinner to see how he is doing, you would be more than welcome."

"Perhaps," Severus said in passing, mind turning on other matters. The Burrow did seem safe, though unconventional, and he knew the oldest Weasley boy was working in curse work and protective warding, so the property was likely to be secure, though he would examine the wards thoroughly himself before leaving the boy alone. Disappearing mail did not often happen in the wizarding world when reliable owls were involved. Nothing was normal with his child though, of course. "Harry did not receive your correspondence, Mister Weasley, or any from Miss Granger, and it is sufficient to say that you did not receive his as well. I will investigate, but also- relay your offer," at the last minutes he added, "And I trust you will pass along that news to Miss Granger," he said, wondering when he started caring if second year Gryffindor girl was worried. With a quick nod to Molly withdrew his head, trying to ignore the spinning through space via fireplace. His knees were stiff as he rose- he was far too old for such activities.

"And, what did they say?" the boy questioned anxiously.

Severus considered his words, "They were concerned because of the lack of communication. Evidently you were both sending letters but neither arrived. I assume the same is true for Miss Granger. I do not think it is yet a cause of concern, but I will look into it. At some point this summer, you have been invited for a visit to the Burrow, which I may be inclined to allow at a later date, sufficient?"

Harry nodded, smiling, all fears apparently assuaged with a few words. Now, Severus had to consider what was stopping the communication of three school children in and out of Hogwarts. Severus would first see if his own messages would be stopped, and inform the Headmaster at the earliest moment.

*****Severus*****

Severus woke on the boy's birthday, probably more excited than the child was. He had set all of the boy's presents up on the couch after the child had gone to sleep. He had even visited the Weasleys himself to pick up presents from the Weasley family, and Miss Granger's from the Weasley house as well. Severus would never admit how the little Gryffindors had warmed to him. The intercepted mail still worried him, but he and Albus had confirmed that the wards were not affected, and all of the children, particularly Harry would be safe for his plan that evening.

Hagrid had sent his own gift to the boy up to the castle, and Minerva and Albus had surprised him with small packages for the boy as well. No one but Ron Weasley had asked about being there to open gifts with Harry, and Severus had pushed the boy off, reminding him that he would see Harry that evening for the surprise he had planned. He wondered about his selfish motivations for keeping present opening for just the two of them in the morning, but tried not to dwell on it. The child took every little gift so seriously and with such care, it was enjoyable to make the child so pleased. Most of Severus's younger students broke their gifts within hours of receiving them, but not Harry. Dora would be coming to deliver her gift in person, and spend the rest of the day with them, and Severus had not been successful in pushing her away, though he hadn't actually tried.

Severus found himself hovering over the boy, rather pathetically, wanting to surprise the child with gifts but not wanting to disturb his rest. He was not some doting parent content to watch his child sleep and yet… "Harry?" he finally spoke, laying a hand on Harry's head. He couldn't stop his smile when the child opened his eyes with a small grin. He didn't think Harry had had a nightmare in a least a week, which was huge progress for a child who had faced the Dark Lord little more than a month ago and who had had a very questionable childhood before that point. Occasional nights where Severus had been woken and sat next to Harry until the child fell asleep again were uncomfortable for them both, but Harry smiled so widely at him the next day, even if he'd barely talk about what had scared him in his sleep. "It's your birthday," Severus reminded him, only slightly awkwardly.

"I know. I meant to stay up until midnight like I always used to, but I was tired, I guess."

Severus made note of the boy's tradition, though perhaps he would enjoy it this way as well. "Slippers and dressing gown on," Severus instructed. You have presents to open," at which point Harry positively bounced out of bed, already in his slippers and robe as he protested that it wasn't that cold in the summer. Harry rushed past him but quickly turned back, mouth gaping comically open when he saw his pile of presents. Draco Malfoy, or any of his Slytherins really, would expect that many presents from his parents alone, and wouldn't stand gaping when half of them were likely boring books anyway. Then again, Harry wasn't most children. "They are yours- get going," Severus prodded gently. The boy began opening presents happily, but carefully, looking for a name or card before opening each one.

Minerva had given him a lovely quill, even if it was colored a garish red with golden colored fastenings. The woman wouldn't dream of letting him forget whose house the child was in. Harry set the quill aside so delicately that Severus wondered if he would ever use it. The Headmasters gift, though it looks small, poured out sweets the moment Harry opened it until the child was halfway covered in them, varieties of sweets many of which Severus only recognized as being past passwords for Albus's office. Severus enjoyed the boy's laugh even if he would now need to mention moderation and sweets rationing at a later date. Severus didn't have the heart to spoil his fun on the child's birthday. And there were always potions if child gave himself a stomach ache this once. Ron Weasley also gave the boy sweets, and Molly sent an entire pie and a block of fudge, which Severus wondered how the decrepit old owl would have managed to deliver if Severus hadn't been picking up the gifts himself because of their posting difficulties. He wondered if food was equated with affection in that family.

The gamekeeper had sent his own culinary attempts which even Harry grimaced over for a moment before the smile won out. Miss Granger had given him a book about Arithmancy, including a note about how it sounded fascinating and she hoped Harry would take it with her in their third year, planning well in advance since they weren't even second years yet. Harry smiled and set it aside just like all the others. Harry looked around at the lack of any more presents, and then glanced at him like he was going to say something but quickly looked away.

"I didn't forget about you," Severus said softly, retrieving his own gifts for the boy, and appreciating the wide grin that took up all of Harry's face. The child dove into the small stack of wrapped books, slowly admiring each one. Severus had included two on potions theory, one on defense, and the last on quidditch, since he made some attempt to cater to the boy's interests. A wand and caldron maintenance kit was the second thing he unwrapped, and Severus was feeling like the most boring gift-giver, but Harry seemed to find everything fascinating, and it least it wasn't about a class that the child wouldn't even take for more than a year (though Severus had enjoyed Arithmancy himself and hoped Harry would enjoy advanced studies that electives offered- in anything except Divination).

Harry reached last for the small fabric bag with a draw string, and he could see that the boy was shocked to see money inside. "You don't need to give me money, Sir. I have a vault- I mean, I think I still do, right?"

"Yes, you have a vault, possibly a few vaults in your name, and they will still be there when you are older. It's just a bit of spending money for your birthday, to get something you might want whenever we next go shopping. We can discuss an amount for a weekly or monthly allowance as well, and a bit extra once you start visiting Hogsmeade with the other students in your third year."

"But- I've got so many more things than I need already though. Since I got my robes big last summer, I haven't even outgrown them. I just need books for next year and maybe some new quills-"

"Harry, haven't we talked about this? School supplies are _not_ gifts. I am more than well off enough that you can have everything you need for school and several things for fun. Pocket money is for spending more on candy than I'd want you to- or buying something from Gambol and Japes- though I had better not hear that you have been intentionally cruel with any pranks."

"Why would you want me to buy something you wouldn't want me to have?" the boy actually asked him confusedly.

"Because- sometimes, children are allowed to have fun, so long as no one is hurt. Surely the Weasley twins have told you too much about this already- though you shouldn't look to them as role models. They had more detentions as first years than I would expect you to have in all your years he-re" Severus was jostled by little arms and a solid forehead colliding with his middle.

"Thank you," Harry told him.

"Of course. Now, why don't you run and put up your new things. Tonks will be over shortly, and I believe she has something for you." That got the boy hopping around, though carefully with his new gifts.

Tonks arrived just as they were finishing the quiet lunch that the elves delivered. Severus had tried to pick all of Harry's favorite foods, even some of his favorite treacle tart, though the boy seemingly had a lifetime of sweets gifted to him that day.

"Hey there, Birthday Boy! I got the whole day off just for you. Ready to open one more present?"

The boy smiled up at the witch, "Thanks. I hope it wasn't too much trouble to get off work. It's really good to see you," he said politely.

"Nonsense. I needed a day off, and I wasted it sleeping until twenty minutes ago, so the rest of it had better be fun," she said, sweeping past the table and grabbing a piece of bread from Severus's plate, though there was plenty still in the middle of the table. "Open my present and then you get to show me the rest of your haul," the witch instructed.

The boy opened the package with the same wide-eyed diligence as the others. He finally held up some muggle clothing- a pair of jeans and two shirts: a blue button-up and a black t-shirt. Harry held them against himself and smiled saying that they looked great, but Severus thought they looked fitted for a larger boy.

"They change size with you, no matter how much you morph yourself," Tonks said excitedly. "I've got a woman who will do all the spells for me, and they are guaranteed to last longer than the fabric does, even if you take good care of them. I can't do nearly so well myself."

"Wicked," Harry hissed, looking at Tonks and him. The witch was endearing, getting presents for the boy and making him so happy- not that it was especially difficult to impress Harry.

"Well, go ahead. Run off and try them on. Perhaps you'd like to wear them for the rest of the day?" Severus prompted.

"Yeah, that's great," the boy said, heading towards his room smiling wide.

*****Harry*****

Harry loved his new gifts as much as the ones his father had given him. It seemed extra special since it wasn't like Tonks really had to get him anything. He saw Tonks smile, but knew that she looked at his father just as much as him. He smiled himself, hurrying off to his room to try on his new clothes, but also deciding that he would stay in there a bit longer, to give the adults some time alone. He tried to do that whenever Tonks came over, though he thought the grown-ups were too wrapped up in each other to notice.

*****Severus*****

The witch was in his lap before the boy had even closed his door. He was met with a fierce kiss that he did not at all object to. Severus liked her forward actions. He restrained a whimper when she pulled away, but her look told him that she knew. "So Mister, Molly and Arthur will be there tonight, as will most of the Weasley family, correct?"

"Except for their two eldest, yes. And Hermione Granger will be there as well," Severus added.

"So, what am I?"

Severus merely raised his eyebrows in his customary fashion.

"Don't play dumb. What am I- why am I there? Am I Harry's teacher? Your _girlfriend_? A woman who forced you on a date and whom you later broke into the house of to kiss her?" Severus almost smiled at that one despite his rising alarm. "Not to spring this on you on your son's birthday, but it's the first time we've been around people except Harry, and he hardly counts as he keeps shoving us together, in case you hadn't noticed."

"Eleven-year-old Gryffindors aren't known for their subtly."

"Twelve now, but valid point."

"Whatever you want," Severus answered. "You may present yourself however you wish in whatever way is best for your reputation."

"Severus, that's the biggest nonsense just so you don't have to make a decision. You wouldn't _hurt_ my reputation, and I wouldn't care if you did," she said, kissing him again. "I'll do what I want then," she said when she pulled away. "And you'll have to deal with me breaking the news when and how and to whom I see fit," she went on, though Severus didn't mind because she kissed him again.

*****Harry*****

Harry almost took a step back when he saw the house elf on his bed, but instead he continued into his room and closed the door. "Er- hello?" Harry asked curiously. "You don't work at Hogwarts, do you?" Harry had noticed that the elf wore what looked like a pillowcase with holes torn into it for his head and arms to go through. It wasn't exactly clean either.

"Harry Potter!" the elf squeaked, "Such an honor it is. Dobby has wanted to see you for so long…"

Harry attempted to hush the elf, not wanting to ruin his father's time talking to Tonks. They had seemed friendly, happy lately, and Harry was pretty sure he had heard them kiss just as he was leaving the room. He hoped that if they heard anything, they'd just think he was talking to one of the castle elves.

"You have to be quiet- what's your name? What are you doing here?" Harry asked.

"Dobby sir, Dobby the house elf. And Dobby doesn't know how to explain... Dobby can't say."

"Shh," Harry said, trying to figure out what to do. There was a mild spell to dampen noise on the room for privacy, but his father would hear if anything got loud. He knew there were all sorts of sensors on the room too, so he guessed the elf was probably okay, not trying to hurt him at least. Harry thought of everything he knew of elves, mainly that house elves usually didn't disobey their masters, and that they were uncomfortable when you were too nice to them, though Milly didn't mind as much as most of the ones at Hogwarts. "If you aren't going to tell me, what's the point of you coming here, Dobby? Does your family know you're here?" Harry said, somewhat exasperated.

"Oh no, Harry Potter sir. Master would be very mad. Dobby will have to punish himself quite harshly for doing something master would not like," the creature said, swiftly grabbing Harry's large potions book and slamming it into his head once before Harry snatched it away, alarmed. Harry had never heard of house elves punishing themselves, but he was only familiar with the ones at Hogwarts, and he doubted they often broke any rules that the Headmaster set anyway, if Dumbledore made any rules up at all.

"They don't- um sound very nice, but you can't leave them. You are- a slave, right? You can't leave your masters or do things they don't want you to do? But surely there's someone you can tell if they are that bad? I bet my dad would…" Harry stopped his sentence when he saw that the little elf was too worked up, quickly clapping his hand over the creature's mouth. "You have to be quiet. I'll- I'll tell on you if you scream," Harry hissed, feeling like scum for threatening the poor creature. Dobby only nodded, completely unfazed by the threat. "What are you doing here? It's my birthday, and I have to get ready and put up my gifts from my friends."

"Friends that don't even write to Harry Potter?"

"They did just- what?" Harry exclaimed, keeping his voice low. "You? You've been taking my letters, haven't you?! Those weren't yours," Harry protested. "And why would you do that?"

"Forgive me, Mister Harry Potter," Dobby said, cowering, making Harry take a step back and feel even more guilty. "Dobby is thinking that if Harry Potter is not enjoying his time at Hogwarts, he is going away where it is safest, Harry Potter sir."

"I can't go away- Hogwarts is my home now. We just used the floo to talk to them, or Ron's family at least. And he didn't get my letters, and I found out I didn't get his, and that Hermione's the same way. And why isn't Hogwarts the safest place for me?"

"There is a plan, Harry Potter. If Harry Potter stays at Hogwarts, he will be in great danger. Terrible things will be happening at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, terrible things that Harry Potter must not be around for."

"Dobby, I can't leave," Harry said, beginning to think that he needed to call for his father and Tonks. "What kind of plan? Who's making this plan?"

Dobby made a screeching sound and began banging his head upon the wall. This was too much. "DAD!" Harry called loudly, hearing footsteps approach. Dobby looked up, round eyes even wider, and disappeared with a loud crack just as the door was thrown open, his father and Tonks both looking alarmed, wands drawn.

"There was a house elf, not a school one," Harry explained quickly. "He's been the one taking my letters, and he said there was something dangerous going to happen at Hogwarts, but I told him I couldn't leave," Harry sad in a rush.

*****Severus*****

Severus felt his heart pumping far too quickly as he burst into his son's room to find the child distressed but apparently unharmed. He knew he just heard the crack of apparition, never mind that that was impossible in school grounds. The boy started to explain, and he followed it in a haze. A house elf, yes, the only thing that made sense, though Hogwarts house elves were trained to be silent in their comings and goings around the castle, to not wake sleeping children. And house elf magic was strong enough to disrupt mail delivery, though it was an unusual task.

"Harry, it's important not to leave out any detail. Can you tell me anything else?" he asked, trying not to alarm the boy.

"His name was Dobby," the boy said at once. _Dobby_ \- that sounded familiar, though house elves were normally named incipit short names. "He was wearing a torn and dirty pillowcase, so I knew he didn't work at Hogwarts. And he said his master wouldn't want him to come here, and he'd have to punish himself for coming. And that there was a plot for dangerous things to happen at Hogwarts. And when I asked what the plan was and who was making it, he started hitting his head on the wall. Do you think his master is the one who's going to do something bad at Hogwarts?" _Dobby_. Severus was now almost sure that Dobby was the name of a Malfoy house elf. He would have to pay a visit to his old friend, a prospect he was not anticipating eagerly, their first meeting since it became known to the world that he was the father of the Boy Who Lived. Well, at least that was one mystery solved, and the problem could likely wait until Harry's birthday was over, though he would have to look into magic to block house elves, perhaps consulting with the castle elves for guidance.

"That seems- likely. And even if the elf means well, you shall inform me immediately in the future if you hear from him again, yes?" Severus prodded. How on earth did he get by each day when something was always happening with this child?

*****Severus*****

After a quiet day after the elf incident, and an early dinner, Severus proposed a trip out to the pitch for a bit of flying, not telling the boy that anything else was planned. The child was beyond thrilled to head out towards the quidditch pitch and see the Weasley clan and Hermione Granger waiting for him. The boy took off running before Severus would have been able to recognize the group if he hadn't already known they would be there. Harry was surrounded by the lot of them before he and Tonks had made it over to the little party.

"Look at how much you've grown," Mrs.- Molly was saying, tactfully not mentioning that his entire appearance had also changed since she saw him at King's Cross. Harry had indeed been growing and didn't look as fragile as he had, but the child was still probably only about the size of the first year that first slipped on the sorting hat, albeit one who looked significantly different.

"Thank you so much for the pie and the fudge, Mrs. Weasley. We were going to save them for tonight, but maybe you'll stay for that? And thank you for the sweets and the book, Ron and Hermione," Harry went on.

With the children so near the quidditch pitch, the topic quickly turned to the game, "Come on, Percy, we need you for even teams. I don't think we'll get Hermione up in the air." George Weasley goaded. Telling them apart had come easily for Severus, though it hardly mattered because they partnered together in class and were always in trouble for the same causes. Percy Weasley stood uncomfortably away from his younger siblings, and Hermione looked equally distrustful of the brooms.

"Well, it has been quite a while since I've been on a school broom," Arthur began.

"Dad!" Ron protested, "I mean, yeah," the child said, suddenly thinking better of his statement perhaps? The boy had been at least trying to be tolerable.

"Ron doesn't want to say that he doesn't want to play with his father," Fred pointed out.

"Not true," Ron protested loudly, though his face was bright red, "I'm happy that Dad wants to play."

"Perhaps just the children this time," Mrs. Weasley said in a loud whisper to her husband, though everyone present heard.

"Great, Tonks is on our team," George shouted out. Severus stopped himself from wincing.

"Tonks is an adult too," the small dark haired boy, his child, objected. Of course Harry would say something, the little Gryffindor.

"No she's not," Fred laughed a bit. "Not really. She's friends with Bill and Charlie. She's still fun, right, Tonks?"

"I don't know boys, if I want to leave Severus alone to mingle by himself," the witch chuckled.

Severus quickly studied Dora again. Since leaving the castle, she had adapted a look halfway between her natural form and her spiky pink haired self. Her hair was long and dark, but her body structure and height were not naturally her own. "You should play," he said lightly, voice a bit less smooth than usual.

The devious look on her face told him what she was going to do a full three seconds before she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him on the lips, for a few seconds longer than was needed to make her point. She obviously wanted to be public. He cursed himself for allowing those present to see him smile as she pulled away. "Have fun," he said, looking to her and then to Harry, already regretting his decision to let her leave his side, letting him be trapped with the older Weasleys and possibly the young Granger and the oldest present Weasley child. It was worth it to see the open mouthed shock of the Weasley twins, though Molly seemed equally shocked, and Arthur started a sudden coughing fit. Severus looked at the others with a neutral face. Harry's close friends didn't seem very surprised, though Granger was smiling at him too widely. Percy seemed mildly interested, and Severus had still barely seen the youngest Weasley from her place behind her mother.

It was Ron Weasley who broke the silence, "Hermione, you should play. You can even borrow Harry's spare Nimbus, right Harry?" the child asked his friend, in the utmost generosity of a twelve-year-old boy. Severus would have thought that the child would have thought of the spare broom as his own by now- it practically was after all.

"I- maybe, but I am fine with a school broom. I don't need to go so quickly anyway," stated the unusually flustered girl.

"What about you, Ginny?" Dora asked, trying to draw out the shy girl.

"Ginny can't fly," Fred and George said at the same time. Ron had looked like he would say something as well, but closed his mouth before speaking.

"I can too," the small girl said, with surprising force, the first words Severus had heard her speak.

"Let's get you a broom then," Dora said, when neither parent objected. "Percy, are you coming?" Dora asked.

"Ginny's been sneaking out to fly since she was at least eight," Arthur whispered to him as Dora led the children including Granger and Percy Weasley away. "She doesn't think we know, and it scared me to near death when I first saw her, but she was so good already, it didn't seem like too much harm. She'd probably been hiding it for years even then. And there's plenty of cushioning charms on the back lawn, more since that day. We wouldn't admit the extra soft spot we have for our little girl, and the boys are hard on her sometimes, even if we aren't around to see it. Ronald has been making more of an effort lately, I noticed though. She's not usually this quiet, you know- she just has a bit of a crush on Harry," the older man said, leaving Severus completely at a loss for words. Weren't they much too young for that sort of thing? Though he knew he hadn't been at that age…

"So, I suppose I should stop sending her letters to come round whenever Bill or Charlie are home. I admit I hoped at least one of them would meet a girl from around here and settle in the country. I'd hate my grandbabies to be born where I wasn't just a short floo away. I don't like the long journeys," Molly went on. Severus tried not to squirm. "But you deserve to be happy, dear. I was just a bit surprised, because you must admit she is a bit young. But you've done so well with Harry, such a sweet boy he is. I knew it from the first time I saw him at the train station, so small to be there all by himself. But he seems so happy now," Molly carried on, seemingly with no need for his input. Harry was a far safer topic at least than the state of his relationship with Dora. "And letting Ron borrow that broom is much too generous. He speaks so highly of you, you know, Ron does. And I've always been a bit worried about him. All of the other boys found something that they cared about so early, even if it was just making trouble in the twin's case. I always thought Ron felt overshadowed by his older brothers. Maybe Ginny has too, but at least she's the only girl. And then Ron goes off and becomes best friends with the most famous boy in the country, maybe the world. As sweet as Harry is, I was a little worried. Ron just never found his place to shine."

"He is very good at chess for his age. He has a good mind for strategy," Severus managed. Talking about the Weasley boy was even safer than talking about Harry, and parents loved hearing such things, didn't they?

"Oh yes, and to make it through Minerva's magic, and goodness, to try to give up all of those points. You know, I am not sure if I have ever been prouder, maybe not even when Bill was made Head Boy," Molly gushed, though Severus would admit that he felt similarly to Harry. Had he told the boy how- proud he was? He thought Harry knew, but he should probably manage to actually tell the child anyway.

"I'm sure you're proud of Harry," Arthur put in. Severus had to stop himself from growling. He was the legilimens in the area.

"Yes, I am," was all he said, watching the younger lot take to the air, teams apparently decided, Severus allowed a small smile. Harry was happy, which was all that really mattered. Of course, the insinuation that Tonks- Dora- was a child had offended him, but it was only a young Weasley who outright said it. The idea of her with one of the Weasley boys, or anyone else really, scared him to a degree that he wasn't ready to face. This had only been going on for a few weeks- they had only had one real date, and that had ended abysmally. She had been over for Harry's lessons, and for dinner, but it hardly counted as a date with an eleven-year-old in his quarters. He shouldn't be as attached to the witch as he was, should he? Severus tried to think of anything else.

The littlest Weasley, the other figure that was about Harry's size, was surprisingly good. The next smallest, Granger, seemed to try to avoid all activity, but Severus was impressed that the Weasley boy had talked her into the air at all, and none of the other players seemed to mind. There were no seekers, so most players including Harry were playing chaser. It had been settled with a beater on either team, each a Weasley twin, though it looked more to Severus that the boys were working together to cause chaos than to work for their individual teams. Ron and Tonks had claimed keeper positions. Severus knew that it was Tonks' second position of choice after being a beater. She liked that she could still just hit the ball away instead of having to catch it.

"Thinking of more children?" Molly asked.

Severus thought he was choking, but he couldn't possibly suffocate on nothing but air. He turned to Arthur, but the man was looking resolutely in another direction.

"Calm down dear, just a question from a nosy old witch. Tonks seems rather good with Harry though, doesn't she? I'm sure she hasn't thought about it too seriously yet herself, as young as she is. Though I was already married and hoping for my first one at that age, now that I think about it, but it's not a path for everyone. I'm sure Harry would be a very good big brother though. Bill and Charlie always loved playing with little Ginny."

"We've only been seeing each other for a few weeks," Severus managed, unsure why he was volunteering such private information. He felt like he was a teenager himself rather than talking to a witch only about a decade his senior.

"Leave the poor man alone, dear," Arthur chuckled, still facing the children playing quidditch, which seemed an excellent idea to Severus.

The Weasleys did stay for pie in their quarters as well as the large cake that Molly Weasley made a quick trip through the floo to retrieve. After only slight pleading on Harry's part, Ron Weasley settled in to spend the night in Harry's room, on a cot that Severus transfigured for the boy. The other Weasleys promised to get young Hermione home, and the little party left after what Severus thought was a very successful birthday for the boy. The boys were hurried off to bed, tired after their long day anyway. Tonks stayed a bit longer, before having to leave herself, or she'd never get up for work in the morning, she told him.

"Dad? Er- Father?" Harry said, entering the room as soon as soon as the flames died down from Tonks using the floo.

"You're not asleep?" Severus asked mildly.

"Too excited to sleep," Harry muttered.

"Anything on your mind?" Severus prompted.

"I just- I just wanted to tell you that this was the best birthday I ever had. By a lot. It was way greater than that. If I were still at the Dursleys- they wouldn't have done anything for my birthday at all."

"You deserve everything you got today and more, Harry. You know that, don't you?"

"I can't imagine anything more. It just doesn't seem real sometimes."

"You'll get used to it in time."

"You'll make sure I do," Harry responded, lunging over to give him another of the boy's tight hugs around his middle, head nestled into his chest.

"Do you know how proud I am of you?"

"Really?"

"Yes, child. I was so proud when you stood up at the End of Year feast. Not many children could image life in a different house, and what you did meant quite a lot to the Slytherin students."

"I just did what seemed right," Harry said simply, followed by a large yawn.

"Goodnight, Harry. Do you need a bit of potion to get you off to sleep?"

"I'll be fine now," the boy replied, heading back to his own bed and leaving Severus with his thoughts. The boy still expected too little, but he had developed so much in the time Severus had known him. How many hugs had the boy given and accepted today? The child was mending, thriving even under Severus's care, even if Severus had little idea of what he was doing most of the time. Bothersome as they could be, it was nice to hear that the Weasley parents thought he was doing well by Harry. Severus Snape would at the least try his best.

 **A/N: So, it might be a bit before the next update, because I don't even have the rest of the summer written yet, but I am feeling rededicated and putting a rush on it now. Again, RIP Alan Rickman.**


	15. Chapter 15 The Burrow and the Manor

Morphed Secrets Chapter 15 – The Burrow and the Manor

*****Severus*****

"I will be going out for a time tomorrow, and I thought you might want to visit with the Weasley family in my absence. If you wish, you may spend the night afterwards, though I will stop in to visit myself before then."

"That'd be great! Where are you going?"

"Malfoy Manor. I missed Draco's birthday in early June when- other matters were on my mind at end of term, and I failed to give him a present," Severus sighed, wondering if he should continue. He did say he wouldn't lie to the boy, "And I have a theory that the house elf you met may belong to the Malfoy family. However, I would seriously doubt that Draco would have anything to do with it, and if there is fault anywhere, it is with his father, and I would not like you to discuss that theory with the Weasleys. Do you understand?"

"Why do you- give a present to Draco? Do you to all of your students?" Harry asked, fidgeting with his feet, surprising Severus with the bit of information the child questioned, thinking that the boy would be more concerned with the mysterious house elf. Of course, Severus had already taken some measures against the house elf. He had insured that the only elf that could access their quarters was a young female named Milly, whom Harry had said was his favorite of the elves. Was the child jealous of Draco? Insecure with his standing as his son?

"Draco is my godson. For good or ill, I have known the Malfoy family for a very long time. That does not mean that I trust Lucius Malfoy or would believe him above causing trouble at the school. I hope that Draco grows up to be better."

"So- he's- my god-brother?"

"I suppose- yes."

"Just a minute," Harry called, dashing off to his rooms, leaving a confused Severus behind. Harry returned with a bag of sweets from his last trip to Honeydukes that Severus had taken him on, spending the first bit of his pocket money on sweets that he hadn't even eaten. "Can you give this to Draco from me?"

Severus accepted the bag, staring at the uncomfortable boy, "I was happy to see that you have no animosity towards the Slytherins in your year, but I wasn't aware that you and Draco were on such good terms."

The boy shrugged, not looking at him, "I figure, if he's my god-brother, I should. And he's been alright ever since- well, ever since he knew you were my father."

"That is very thoughtful of you Harry. I will deliver your present."

"Maybe Draco could come visit sometime if you wanted him to," Harry suggested, surprising Severus further.

"Perhaps I can ask his parents," Severus offered, though he did not honestly know what terms they would be on after his parentage of Harry Potter became public knowledge. They had invited him to the manor after he requested to deliver a present to Draco in person, so that was perhaps a positive sign. But he was also almost positive that a Malfoy house elf was warning his son about dangerous things happening at Hogwarts. And knowing Lucius Malfoy, he couldn't rule out the worst.

*****Harry*****

Harry arrived at the Weasleys by floo. It was a bit embarrassing, because his father insisted they go through together since it was Harry's first time in the floo. His father had wanted to actually pick him up and carry him through, which Harry almost didn't mind, but it seemed extreme for just going through the floo. Harry was fairly sure that Ron could take the floo by himself, and he wouldn't want his friend to see him being held like a child, so he talked his father down to just letting him hold his hand as they stepped into the fireplace together. It only scared him a little bit to step into the green flames. It wasn't nearly as bad as the obstacle below Hogwarts after all.

Harry didn't think he could have stayed on his feet stepping out of the floo without his father to guide him. Harry could already tell that he much preferred brooms. His father was brushing soot from Harry's clothes, though he wasn't sure how he had gotten dirty when his father hadn't.

"I'm just going to take a glance at the wards if you don't mind?" his father asked.

"Of course, dear. Arthur's outside and can show you the more hidden bits. Bill and one of his friends did quite a job of it, if I don't say so myself."

"Hello Mrs. Weasley," he said as his father was leaving the room.

"Hello, Harry dear. I swear, you've grown just since your birthday. dinner isn't ready yet, but would you like a little snack? I'm sure I could whip up some sandwiches. BOYS! HARRY'S HERE," Mrs. Weasley called, bringing on near tumbling down the stairs from Ron and the twins, a more sedate entry from Percy, and Harry thought he caught a glimpse of Ginny.

"Hey mate," Ron greeted him.

"Harry, my good chap," said one of the twins.

"Welcome to our humble abode."

Harry settled in for sandwiches with the Weasley boys, all with endless appetites though Percy was at least a neat eater. The youngest Weasley was as shy around him as she had been at his birthday, except when they had been playing quidditch. In the air, the young witch had been assertive and happy, and Harry couldn't help but smile at the girl, even if that was difficult when she left whatever room Harry was in.

"Ron, help Harry take his things up to your room. I have a cot for him up there already. And then I should have dinner ready shortly," Mrs. Weasley instructed. Harry wasn't sure how anyone could want lunch after the feast they had already eaten.

"It's a bit small," Ron said when they arrived at the room at the very top of the stairs. Harry turned to look at his friend who sounded more nervous than the boy usually would. "Your room with S- with your dad is a lot bigger."

Harry shrugged. His room in the dungeons were bigger, but not as big as the room they shared with the other Gryffindor boys. "I lived in a lot smaller for ten years, and I think this is brilliant!"

"And it's right under the goul in the attic..."

"Really? This is the greatest house ever!"

*****Severus*****

Severus was let in the manor by a house elf that he thought might be Dobby. He wasn't actually sure if the Malfoys had multiple house elves or not. Approaching the sitting room, Lucius stood to greet him.

"Severus, you're earlier than I expected. We haven't called Draco down yet. Dobby!" There was the confirmation that Severus sought.

"Do you mind if I retrieve him, old friend? I haven't seen my godson other than as his teacher in too long, and would love to deliver his present in person," he said, holding up the wrapped present, "Two potions books," he explained. They were the same two editions he had given Harry on potions in fact.

"If you wish, of course. Though we shall have to spend time talking about your own son, Severus. Quite the surprise, yes?"

"Yes," Severus agreed tensely, heading for the stairs, glad for a moment alone with the boy.

"Draco?" Severus called, knocking on the boy's door.

Draco opened it quickly, "Uncle Severus- er Professor."

"Outside of the school year 'Uncle Severus' is still proper, Draco. My deepest apologies for not acknowledging your birthday. There were- many things on my mind, but that's no excuse," he said, holding out the wrapped books.

The boy smiled and tore through them quickly, "Thank you, Uncle. I'll add them to my collection," the boy stated. Severus probably did give the boy books too often, but he wasn't the most original gift-giver.

"Harry sent along a present as well," Severus added, retrieving the small bundle that he hadn't mentioned to the boy's father and handing it to Draco as well.

"Po- Harry got me a present? How do I know this isn't some kind- I mean, thank you," the child asked uncomfortably.

"Harry was interested to hear that you were my godson. He called you his god-brother and wanted to give you a present when I mentioned that I had missed your birthday," Severus said quietly.

"Really?" said the other boy, unwrapping his sweats.

"He also wanted to invite you to spend time at the castle with us this summer if you wish. I have not approached your parents yet because I wasn't sure if it was an invitation you would enjoy."

The child looked thoughtful for several moments, "Thank you very much for the invitation. If father and mother agree, I would like to visit you- and Harry."

"That is very mature of you Draco. And I can trust that if you are allowed to visit, you will be on your best behavior?"

"Yes, sir."

"I would not expect any less," he said, patting the boy on the head before Draco ran to put away his presents so that they could join his parents, Severus hoped for lunch.

*****Harry*****

"So, your dad figured out what was wrong with the owl post?" Ron asked when Harry was mostly settled in the room.

"Yeah, it was a house elf. He showed up on my birthday, actually but I- didn't know if I could talk about it then."

"A house elf? Acting on whose orders?" Ron asked.

"That's just it, he was warning me and saying how he wasn't supposed to be there, how his master wouldn't like it."

"Warning you about what? I thought he was just messing with your post like a prank or something."

"No, he said that something bad was happening at Hogwarts, and he was stealing my post so that I'd be unhappy and leave Hogwarts, as dumb as that sounds. Because Hogwarts is so much better than the Dursleys. But my father thinks that the elf's master might be planning something and the elf really just wanted to warn me."

"Blimey. It's always you with weird stuff going on, Harry. House elves don't just go against their masters all the time."

"Yeah. My father has our rooms warded against all house elves except one of the Hogwarts ones, Milly, now."

"Does he know who the elf's master might be?"

"Er- I think he has some guesses, but he doesn't know," Harry said, and Ron nodded along.

"Well, I'm sure your dad can handle it," Ron settled on.

*****Severus*****

Severus sat at the far too formal dining room of the Malfoy Manor, resisting the urge to fidget. If the twelve-year-old could sit still in the uncomfortable chair in the stuffy room, so could he. Dobby had prepared an appetizing enough looking meal of meats, potatoes, salads, vegetables, and fruits. Narcissa didn't touch the first two, and Draco and Lucius didn't go for anything else. When he caught his godfather's eye, Draco served himself some fruit as well.

When everyone was served, Lucius spoke, "So, Severus, tell us about your son." Of course the man had timed it just as Severus had taken his first bite, a rather large piece of meat. The old Slytherin.

Severus chewed and swallowed in a dignified, slow manner, "He is doing well, though doubtless lonely being the only child in residence. If you would allow Draco to visit me, I believe he would benefit from Draco's company," typical deflection while actually getting to what Severus had meant to be asking.

"Well, that sounds like a nice idea. I was- disappointed when the boys did not strike up immediate friendship. Of course, a pity that he was sorted into Gryffindor, but that was before you knew, wasn't it?"

"Yes, it was," Severus said briefly, continuing to eat.

"In fact, I heard numerous accounts of how much you disliked the Potter boy, gave him such a miserable first lesson. I imagine it was quite a shock to find out that he was your son, wasn't it Severus?" Lucius prodded again. Narcissa had been notably silent the entire evening, and Draco was too young to be expected to speak much with company present, even if the company was only his godfather.

"Quite a shock yes. I would have of course behaved differently had I known. From what I understand, his first impression of Slytherin house from those Dumbledore sent to retrieve him was less than favorable. It is no surprise that he did not have affinity for the house. However, I do believe that he and Draco could become good friends, given the right situation."

"Yes, I believe that would be- beneficial," Lucius agreed.

"Are you doing well, Narcissa?" Severus asked, seeking any different conversation.

"Yes. Very glad to have Draco home at last. It's hard on a mother to send a child off to school, even though it's best for them," she answered.

"I had originally wanted to send him to Durmstrang, a fine institution that builds strong wizards. But I allowed Narcissa to convince me that perhaps a little closer to home could be best, and of course there is the Slytherin legacy to uphold."

*****Severus

The evening hadn't been especially entertaining, but at least he was able to confirm the origins of Dobby the house elf. Severus looked at his empty quarters glad to be free of Malfoy manor but suffocated by quiet in his own quarters. He wondered how early he could pick up Harry the next day. That was ridiculous. He was not some doting parent who couldn't be separated from his child for twenty-four hours. During term, he might go a week or more with only seeing the boy at meals- and in class. There was no reason at all to believe that Harry would have any trouble sleeping in a strange place- after all, hadn't his rooms in the dungeons been strange to him not so long ago? He debating flooing to see Tonks as well. He was even certain that the witch wouldn't mind, what with the frequency she barged into his quarters, but he wasn't the type of man who needed a witch's affirmation of affections and constant attention to make him happy either. He just needed to sit and catch up his potions readings and attempt to get a solid night of sleep, all of which would have sounded peaceful a year ago but which sounded boring now.

 **A/N: I've been writing sooo much every day since I posted my last chapter. I've really barely done anything else. (So please, write some reviews so I stay motivated!) Unfortunately for the updates, I haven't been writing very linearly, so right now, I've actually been writing a ton of fourth year. I've got several entire chapters written out for fourth year, and lots of detailed outlining and scattered scenes. When a scene comes to me, I just have to write it out, and this particular chapter took more diligence and grinding out until it was done. I hope you like it though!**


	16. Chapter 16 Roommate

Chapter 16- Roommate

The requisite amount of owled letters and days later, Draco Malfoy stood in the hearth of Severus's quarters, wards keyed to allow him on that day. The boy held a new-looking broom in one hand and a bag presumably of clothes in the other. "Thank you for having me, Uncle Severus," the boy intoned to make any pureblood parent proud.

"Of course Draco. Harry can show you were to put your things. I have a cot set up for you, and I promise it will be comfortable," Severus said, hoping the boy held his tongue. He hadn't wanted to do more for Draco that he had for the Weasley boy, to not show favorites in front of Harry, but the Malfoy heir did have certain expectations.

"You brought you broom," Harry butted in. "Do you want to go flying? Father, is it alright if we go flying?"

"Take Milly with you, but then you may play. Draco, you've had lunch?"

"Yes, sir," Draco replied.

"Then just be back by seven o' clock for dinner," Severus instructed, wondering if the boys could stay happy with each other and out of trouble for that long anyway. The boys scampered off after barely going inside Harry's room. Severus noticed that Harry carried his own broom and the practice snitch. Severus thought that Draco wasn't likely to enjoy getting beaten at that, but perhaps it would be good for the boy.

*****Harry*****

Milly was used to these trips, and she didn't say anything. Harry thought she might be shy around a guest. Draco was evidently used to having elves around, so he made no comment. "That's a great looking broom. Did you get it for your birthday?" Harry asked.

"No- for making the quidditch team," Draco said shortly.

"What? You already know you made it? Did they have try outs at the end of the year or something?"

"Flint told me I'd make it," Draco said. "And to show his appreciation, Father bought new Nimbus 2001s for the entire team," Draco bragged, though Harry could tell that the other boy was uncomfortable.

"Well, what position are you going to play?" Harry asked.

"Seeker- or maybe chaser. Either are mine if I want them. Flint already knows I'm the best flyer, and he trusts me," Draco said defensively.

"Well, we can practice with my snitch, and I know some chaser drills too. There's a practice quaffle that I know the password to get to. It'll hover just a bit below goal level after it's been thrown, so we don't have to dive after it all the time."

"Okay, yeah, but let's start with seeking, if you're up for the challenge," Draco taunted.

Harry released the snitch, leaving the base in his pocket. He waited for the snitch to go out of sight and mounted his broom, flying nearly straight up into the air. He loved every second of being on a broom. Catching the snitch was great, but he'd just fly all day some days if he could. Steep climbs and sharp dives were the most thrilling, but all of it was amazing.

A gold glint caught his eye, and he darted in a different direction. By the time Draco realized what was happening and followed him, Harry had the snitch grasped in his hand.

"Let it go, and don't move for at least a minute," Draco instructed, "You probably knew where it was going."

Harry did as Draco asked, facing the boy and then closing his eyes as he uncurled his hand and the snitch flew away. Opening his eyes after the requested minute, Harry noticed Draco's new tactic, flying as close to Harry as possible and hoping that his newer model broom would give him the edge. After the first minute, Harry was afraid it might work. The broom did seem to have better top speed and acceleration, and he thought it had potential to make sharper turns, but Draco didn't have the control, or perhaps the broom was simply more difficult to handle. Harry would dash in one direction only to spin back to the other. He zoomed between goal posts just for fun, which Draco instead made a simple loop around. When the other boy was flying exceptionally close Harry momentarily wanted to dive close to the ground or the stands and hope that Draco would plow into them, but he didn't actually want to hurt the boy. So, he used the same tactics, but in midair, flying one direction for no more than a few seconds before darting off in another one, enjoying the full range of motion to dive up and down. The, shooting across to the opposite side of the field, he repeated, eyes still peeled for the snitch. Draco's broom might be faster, but as long as he was trying to be behind Harry, he wasn't using its full potential. If Harry made himself difficult enough to track, Draco wasn't looking for the snitch himself. It took longer for the snitch to allow itself to be spotted, but Harry finally saw it. He darted multiple ways before honing in on it, snatching it from the air before Draco could realize that it wasn't just another feint.

After Harry caught the snitch for the second time, Draco called for a halt. "Enough. I haven't really had time to practice on my new broom yet, because Father just got it yesterday so I could practice with it today. It has such fine-tuned handling, it'll take some time to get used to after riding inferior models," the blond insisted, and Harry made no comment. Draco was possibly a better flyer than any of their other year mates, but for Harry, flying just clicked, like morphing back to his true form. He was at home in the skies. Also, he'd had a year of pretty rigorous team practices with the Gryffindor quidditch team which no other rising second year had had. "How about that quaffle? Will you play keeper for some shooting drills?"

Harry and Draco flew back down to the storage shed, and Harry got out the practice quaffle that the team would use sometimes, whispering the password when Draco was still outside the shed so he couldn't hear. Throwing the ball to Draco, Harry got back on his broom and flew to fly around the goal posts. This was not a position that he had ever played before, but after beating the blond so soundly at seeker practice, he was willing to try something different to make the other boy happy.

Unfortunately, Harry learned that his first instinct in defending the goals was to dodge the large ball coming at him like it was a bludger. After the second goal went through, Harry resisted the impulse somewhat, but keeper still wasn't a natural position for him, and most of Draco's shots got through, each making the other boy happier than the last.

"Passing drills?" Harry offered.

"Yeah, sure," Draco agreed.

Draco wasn't quite as adept at catching and passing the ball with another player as he had been at shooting it, but the boys were about evenly good at the skill and enjoyed the afternoon as it slowly just became flying around on their brooms.

"Do you want to visit Hagrid?" Harry asked when they flew near each other.

The other boy looked nervous, "Nah, don't you think we should head back? I don't want Uncle Severus worrying about us."

"Why would he be worried. It's just Hagrid. I don't even have to take Milly with me usually to visit Hagrid.

"But er- is it true that he's half giant? I mean, I'm sure it's not. He probably just had some bad reaction to something like skel-e-grow when he was a kid."

"I don't know. Why would it matter? Hagrid's the greatest. Nothing to be scared of. And I thought you _liked_ magical creatures? Didn't you want to see the dragon after all? Hagrid knows about the best ones."

"If you insist, I'll go. I'm certainly not afraid. It just didn't sound that interesting," Draco settled on, face tilted to the sky.

"Great," Harry said, speeding off giving Draco no choice to maintain dignity but to follow him.

Harry knocked on Hagrid's door and waited for his friend to answer. "Harry!" the man called before even making it to the door, "got summat you'd like to see, I bet. Oh," he said, opening the door. "And who's this?"

"Draco Malfoy," Harry said. "He's my dad's godson, so he's my god-brother, so he came for a visit and is going to spend the night with us."

"Draco- _Malfoy_ , you say?" Hagrid asked curiously. "Well, and friend of Harry's is welcome here. Come on in. Or rather, let me come on out and show you summat fun."

"What is it, Hagrid?" Harry asked, following his friend.

"Got some baby nifflers I'm watching for- a friend. They're not old enough to go off adventuring yet, but they can still track pretty well."

"What are nifflers?" Harry asked as he saw Hagrid grab one from a hole in the ground. The creature had a anteater-like nose, but its body was thinner and looked almost like it was made of wood.

"Interesting and useful little buggers. They'd live deeper underground usually, but these are a little young yet to burrow too far. They're treasure hunters, and go especially for anything gold. You'll want to take anything gold off of you or out of your pockets before you meet 'em," Hagrid advised.

"Er- I've got my snitch," Harry said, taking it out. Not sure if there's any real gold in that." Harry watched Draco reluctantly taking off his watch and a ring from his right hand.

"What do I do with these then?" the other boy asked.

"You can put 'em in the cabin or hide 'em for the nifflers to find if you wanna play with 'em. They won't mess the stuff up though, very gentle with valuables. They'd wreck anything else in a house trying ter find the gold though, so most people don' think they make good pets."

"Er- where do I hide them then?" Draco asked, feet shuffling.

"Anywhere in the grass," Hagrid instructed. "Can bury stuff when they're a bit older." The boys hid the items in the grass and Hagrid set the little creatures loose. They walked shakily and seemed to sniff around a lot, but they found all three items quickly. Draco laughed when one of the creatures brought his watch back to him, the watch looking large in the creature's small mouth.

When the boys went back to the dungeons, they were laughing and chatting. Milly went to get them food from the kitchen as soon as they made it back to their rooms. Dinner mostly consisted of Draco talking about how he was going to be a chaser on the Slytherin team and about the animals they had seen at Hagrid's hut. Overall, it had been a good afternoon, and Harry wouldn't mind seeing Draco more often, especially when they weren't in school.

*****Severus*****

Severus looked at his godson, amazed at the boy as the child was talking.

"Well we played a bit of seeker at first, and Harry got to show off. I put up a decent showing though. But it was much better when we played chaser, and I got to score a lot. And the passing bits are okay too. It'll be more exciting at tryouts and practice to see how I mesh with the other chasers, though it's sure to be Flint and Pucey again. I understand they've been on the team together for two years, but haven't been happy with a third chaser. It's a great position to be, seeing everything that happens in the game. Chasers are most often team captains, and not just because there are three of them. I think Chasers make better captains than Beaters or Seekers, though sometimes Keepers can be okay as well…" the boy carried on.

Severus was well aware that as of the day before, Lucius Malfoy had very overtly bought his son's way onto the Slytherin quidditch team. He generally stood bac and let the captain decide all such matters, but Flint had asked for his advice, which was essentially to not make an enemy out of Lucius Malfoy. Severus hoped that the whole team on better brooms would make up for the possible less than ideal performance of one second year who likely didn't deserve the appointment. At the time though, Lucius had informed him that Draco had been looking forward to playing seeker ever since Harry had made the Gryffindor team. He said that seeker was a position befitting a Malfoy as it had the most individual importance and did not require as much team cooperation. Severus even expected that Lucius had made the maneuvering for Draco to be placed on the team just before his visit to Hogwarts, rather than waiting until the term began. Now, the way Draco told it, he wanted to be a team player and thought that being a chaser was the best, though perhaps just because Harry was a better seeker than he was.

"And nifflers were great. Hagrid said if I was still here tomorrow afternoon, we could come back and see them again, and he said he had another surprise as well-" the blond boy went on. Draco Malfoy interested in Hagrid's beasts?

"Severus!" Dora called from the main room. Severus had suspected that she wouldn't stay away the whole night.

"To what do I owe the honor, Dora?" he said, rising from the table as she came into sight. It looked like the boys were mostly done eating.

"You've been woefully neglectful of your own metamorphmagus training, I always love to see Harry, and of course you knew I'd want to meet my little cousin. I can, can't I?" she said, looking at him, but darting a glance at Draco.

"And you did not simply ask if you could come over out of shyness?" Severus looked at the witch. She seemed to be in her base form body, down to wearing the black flats he had given her, but her hair was long and pink, pulled back in a hair band. She was dressing up, he supposed.

"Oh Severus, this is much more fun though. You got to wonder for a day if I would show up, and here I am!"

"Draco, there is someone I'd like you to meet," Severus said, "Or rather, someone who would like to meet you, it seems."

Harry, who had been quiet through dinner thus far, waved, "Wotcher, Tonks!"

"That's my line. Hiya Harry. Nice to meet you, Draco. I'm your big cousin Tonks, though your mum's probably never mentioned me," she said, holding out her hand.

Draco took the hand and shook it but asked suspiciously, "How close of a cousin?" It was a fair question because most purebloods in Britain could call each other cousin if they wanted to.

"First cousin. Our mothers are sisters, but my mum's a bit of a black sheep so to speak, though she likes to call herself a white sheep. I'm a bit less bitter though, because I've never had family actually toss me out."

Draco frowned a bit. He'd learn to mask those emotions better in time, Severus was sure, "I've heard about her. Mother has mentioned her sisters, but mostly that she didn't talk to either of them. And then I talked to father later, and he said that aunt Bellatrix was in Azkaban and mother's other sister was thrown of the family for marrying a mu- someone the family didn't approve of."

"She's your aunt, Andromeda, and she married Ted Tonks, so he's your uncle. And they're the greatest, so let me know if you ever want to meet them," Dora offered with a smile.

"You're Harry's teacher- for metamorphmagus training, right? Does he have a lesson today? Does U- Professor Snape take lessons as well?" he looked at Severus curiously.

"No, but I'm always up for more training. And I was just teasing Severus, but he can do a bit. But, if _you_ want to give it a go, let me know. You could have a bit of the gift- runs in families usually, you know. Mostly, I just wanted to meet you and see Harry and Severus. Has he mentioned me?" Dora asked while looking at Severus. The younger witch was to be the death of him.

"Why would I tell anyone when you take such joy in doing so?" Severus quipped.

"They're dating," Harry explained in a loud whisper, grinning at him and Dora.

"Really?" Draco asked.

"Why don't the two of you go off and play? Milly can take care of the dished," Severus suggested, uncomfortable with this direction of conversation.

"Yes, I'm so sorry for interrupting," Dora lied prettily. The boys did indeed run off to play in Harry's room. He hoped that Harry had enough toys and things to keep them occupied. He would submit himself to another of Dora's lessons if she insisted, though he could think of more enjoyable time passing. He wasn't really good enough at the ability to warrant using it over a glamour charm, but she did become so happy when he had some small success, it was worth the effort. Arms snaked around his neck the second Harry's door closed.

*****Harry*****

"Do you want to play some chess?" Harry offered, unsure if there was anything the other boy would find interesting in his room. He didn't think his father would let them go fly again today anyway.

"Okay," the other boy agreed, headed for the side of the small table with the white pieces.

"You like the white pieces?" Harry couldn't stop him from asking.

"White goes first. It's the better side, so Father always lets me have it."

"My dad too but- er- you can have it."

"Thank you," the other boy responded, studying the board in front of him. Ron always let Harry go first, because it wasn't like Ron needed an advantage. Harry thought he'd probably lose to Draco just like he did to Ron and his father, but it seemed well enough to pass the time. And he really did like seeing the pieces smash each other, when he managed not to think of Ron getting smashed in the obstacle to get to the stone. Draco had only sat before the board for a moment when he moved one of his pawns two spaces towards Harry's.

Harry looked for a moment before moving a knight towards the encroaching pawn, but out of its reach.

"You didn't make the correct response," Draco informed him emphatically.

"What?"

"If I move this pawn two forward, you're supposed to start with moving that pawn over there two forward, not starting out with a knight.

"Who says?" Harry asked, confused. He was certain that he was allowed to move the knights exactly like that. He liked the knights best because they moved in the most interesting ways.

"The books about chess say so. I've read three books on chess and have six different openings memorized. I'm learning a few more. Father says it sharpens the mind to play chess."

"But you're just doing what someone else came up with," Harry complained.

"Yes, what someone who has played chess longer than we've been alive came up with," Draco shot back.

"But- isn't it more fun to just do what you want? What if the other player didn't read the same book and doesn't respond with the same moves?"

"Then a skilled chess player adjusts. And if they don't play the same moves that the books say, they probably aren't very good anyway, so it's easy to beat them," the boy huffed, insulted, Harry thought.

"But the people who wrote the books didn't get skilled by following books though, did they?"

"Probably- there have been books on wizarding chess for a long time."

"But someone had to write the first book, and they had to come up with everything on their own, right?"

"The books don't say everything- just all the good openings and some techniques, so it's not copying everything," Draco said. "But someone must have first come up with them, I suppose. I don't know what you're trying to prove by that though."

"I- er dunno. I just want to have fun. Is it alright if I don't know the steps to your opening?"

"Whatever," Draco replied, finally moving a piece again. "I'll just have to adjust."

Draco took more time to look at the board and think out his moves after that. Draco did win in the end, but Harry didn't think that he was beaten as badly as when he last played Ron, and not nearly as badly as when his father really tried to win. Harry hoped he was just getting better at it. As he set up the board after their third game, he couldn't stifle a yawn. Draco descretely covered his mouth a moment later, and Harry knew the other boy was tired as well. As the two boys got ready for bed, Harry thought about how the day had been nice, almost as nice as his birthday had been even. He was halfway asleep already as he crawled into bed. Draco was in a cot like Ron had stayed in after Harry's party, but he didn't complain. Harry drifted off to sleep wondering how late Draco could stay before going home the next day. It would be nice to see Hagrid again if they had time.

*****Severus*****

"Uncle Severus?" Draco asked, coming out of Harry's room. Didn't children ever stay in bed like they were told?

"Yes, Draco. How can I help you?" His reading would have to wait.

"About Tonks. Er, do you not- care that she's a half-blood?" the boy asked. "And I know Harry's mother was er- muggleborn. Aren't we supposed to care about that?"

"Come and sit with me, Draco," Severus instructed, unsure of how to approach the topic. The child came and sat close beside him on the couch. Severus had half-expected the boy to crawl into his lap, but he supposed the twelve-year-old felt too mature for that. "I am a half-blood," Severus said when the boy was settled. "I spent many years hating muggles, partially because my muggle father was not a nice person. However, his problems had very little to do with him lacking magic. There are good and bad muggles, and there are also good and bad witches and wizards, and quite a lot of complicated grey area in between. I have made so many mistakes in my own life. As a young wizard being sorted in Slytherin, it was not done to mention any lacking in blood status, so I didn't mention it, and I fell in with a group of young people who cared very much about blood status. Everyone is not like that though, even in Slytherin. There have been numerous muggle-born witches and wizards sorted into Slytherin in my tenure there, but they learn quickly to hide this fact from their peers. Half-bloods blend in more easily and are more common, but there are currently three muggleborns in Slytherin, Draco. And yes, many years ago I was in- in some relationship with Harry's mother, and I did not care that she was muggleborn. I do not care that Dora- Tonks to you- is half-blood, or that Harry is half-blood too of course. Draco your father would not want me to tell you these things, and I do not want to make it more difficult for you to live in your house-"

"I won't tell him," Draco interrupted.

"Thank you, Draco. As I was saying, however, you are getting older, and you need to start considering what you think of yourself, not just what your family thinks."

"Thank you, Uncle Severus," the boy replied.

"Now, go off to bed," Severus dismissed the boy with a pat on the head and a light squeeze on the shoulder. The boy struck out and wrapped his arms around Severus in a hug, which Severus didn't think Draco had given him since he was about eight. Lucius had spent years molding the child in his image, so Severus wasn't sure what he could do with a few words, but the boys had seemed to enjoy playing together.

The next morning, Lucius fire-called and asked for Draco to return home early, and Severus almost thought the boy would protest, but he just gathered his belongings and left through the fireplace that his father had vacated.

"Tell Hagrid I wanted to see the surprise," Severus heard Draco mutter to Harry before saying, "Goodbye Uncle Severus, thank you for having me in your home. And thank you, Harry."

"Of course, child. We'll have to make it a more regular occurrence. At the least, we shall see you at King's Cross in less than a month, Draco."

 **A/N: Please review to tell me what you think! I feel that Draco is like Dudley, both brainwashed from a young age, and both with the ability to grow out of it. That can be made easier with a little help, and Draco seems to be a bit brighter, so that helps as well. Next chapter, Diagon Alley (and Harry finally gets his snake).**


	17. Chapter 17 Diagon Alley

Chapter 17- Diagon Alley

*****Harry*****

Harry was less eager to go back to Hagrid's hut without Draco the next morning, but he always enjoyed seeing Hagrid. The surprise that Hagrid had had was some invisible winged horses, though Hagrid always seemed to know where they were. Hagrid said they lived in the forest mostly but would come out if he led them with meat, or if it was time to pull the carriages. He explained that the creatures were called thestrals, and they pulled the carriages. Harry felt like there was more that Hagrid was pretty obviously trying not to say, any Harry maybe would have pushed his friend if Draco had still been there, but he just let it go. It was pretty cool though, to watch strips of meat disappear into invisible mouths. Harry even got to pet one, which was strange to touch something he couldn't see.

The next few days passed happily enough, but Harry was glad when students received their school supply lists, because the day after those came out was the day that he was going to see the Weasleys and Hermione and her parents in Diagon Ally. His father brought Harry his list directly from Professor McGonagall, since it didn't really make sense to send it by owl post. Harry had even seen his Head of House and some of his other professors a few times in the summer, though many of the professors only spent some of the time at the castle and the rest at their other homes. But his father and Hagrid stayed the whole time.

After coordinated begging on Harry and Ron's part, Harry's father dropped him off the night they received their letters at the Weasley house, and the Weasleys and Harry would meet the Grangers and Harry's father in Diagon Alley after his father ran a few other errands. Harry was excited to see Ron again and spend time with the large family.

*****Harry*****

Harry spent another enjoyable evening with the Weasleys. The boys and Ginny played quidditch, with even Percy joining again with a little encouragement from his brothers to make the teams even. Mrs. Weasley's food was as delicious as always, and Harry didn't even miss the castle cooking, except for the treacle tart. He did miss his father though, and would be glad to see him again the next day.

The next morning, Harry stared a bit nervously at the floo. He hadn't been through the wizarding travel system alone before, but it was silly to worry about. He'd just seen Ron do it, and his father would be meeting them there in less than an hour. Harry wasn't about to ask Mrs. Weasley to hold his hand like a baby, and he was trying to not let Mr. and Mrs. Weasley even realize that he was nervous. He took a deep breath and threw the pinch of powder into the flames before stepping inside. He realized a moment later that he looked foolish, holding his breath instead of saying his destination. There was no one else in the fireplace with him to say it. He opened his mouth and it seemed that the whole fireplace's worth of soot caught in his throat, "Diagon Alley," he tried to mutter, though it came out as a hacking cough, "alley."

The sensation was worse than traveling with his father, and Harry arrived absolutely covered in soot and dust. Wherever he had end up- which most certainly wasn't the Leaky Cauldron, hadn't cleaned their fireplace in ages. He was glad that it wasn't his first time using the floo, or he'd definitely have fallen over, and his father wouldn't have been there to catch him. Thinking of his father, Harry hoped the man would understand how he got into this mess, if he made it out alright.

Harry looked around the room. It looked creepy and not like any store that he had been to in Diagon Alley. Harry saw what looked like a severed hand on display, and that didn't even look like the worst of it. He didn't think he wanted to meet whoever owned this store. The only small luck was that the store seemed to be empty. Harry took a step towards where he could see the top of the door behind the shelves when the door opened and a bell rang. Harry heard steps from the back of the store. Whirling on his toes, Harry halfway dove for a large, empty cabinet he saw with one door hanging open, silently easing the door closed behind him. He tried to quiet his breathing, reasoning that as soon as these people left, the store owner would go back to the back, and he could escape and try to figure out if he was in Diagon Alley somewhere after all. Harry was regretting not having his invisibility cloak one him. He meant to always keep the cloak with him, but he hadn't brought it to see the Weasleys.

Harry wasn't sure what to think when he saw who walked in the door, Draco Malfoy, and a man who had to be Draco's father. Harry's father had warned him about Mr. Malfoy, so Harry was glad he'd hidden in the cabinet, and relieved but uncomfortable when Mr. Malfoy walked out of Harry's line of sight. The man was greeted by the store owner, and they started talking about what sounded like Draco's father had a lot of dark things that he wanted to sell to the store, maybe darker even than the items already on display. Harry watched Draco, whom he could still see. Draco wandered around the store, looking at items but backing away, not getting too close to anything. He looked bored in fact and uncomfortable, and walked out of Harry's sight from the crack between cabinet doors. Harry almost screamed when the door in front of him opened and Draco Malfoy stood there. Even if they had been on good terms lately, this was not what he had wanted to happen.

Harry noticed the recognition and confusion on Draco's face as he saw Harry and then whipped his head around wildly. The adults didn't seem to be noticing. Harry raised a finger to his lips and mouthed 'Please.' Draco stared at him in bewilderment for a moment more before easing the doors closed and walking more briskly away. "Father, can we stop for ice cream when you're done?"

"Quiet Draco, adults are doing business. Look around more- hadn't you begged me for years to let you come with me to Knockturn Alley? And today you acted like you didn't even want to come." Harry allowed himself to breathe a bit more easily. He didn't blame Draco for not wanted to come to this awful place. Harry was still when the Malfoys left shortly after, and the store owner's steps retreated to the back of the store once more. Harry heard the man grumbling and got the idea that the store owner didn't actually like Mr. Malfoy at all, and Harry couldn't blame him either. Harry left his hiding place and crept out of the store before another customer could arrive, hoping that he wouldn't run into the Malfoys on the street.

The street looked as disturbing as the store he had just been in. It looked like the store he left, Borgin and Burkes according to the sign, looked like the biggest store on the street, but maybe not even the darkest. The store across the street was displaying shrunken human heads, and Harry thought the person running a stand nearby might actually be a hag, if those really existed. Making in one direction as quickly as he could, he headed for a sign labeled 'Knocturn Alley'. He tried not to panic at the strange sights around him.

"Harry!" the best voice in the world at that moment called, and Harry ran into his father's arms. He knew that tears were starting to fall, and he hid them in his father's robes. "What are you doing here? Where are the Weasleys?" his father asked.

"Got lost in the floo," Harry managed. "M'sorry I didn't say I wasn't supposed to go by myself. They thought I could do it I guess, and I didn't say anything."

His father stuffed a bag into his pockets and crouched down to Harry. "It's alright, Harry, you're fine now. But you are right- you should have. No dessert tonight, I think, but nothing worse. Let's just get you out of here, and you will know to be more careful with the floo next time. We'll work up to it. I should have come to the Weasleys and taken you to Diagon Alley myself. I just wanted to stop here for a few potions supplies first," his father said, brushing some soot off of Harry before bringing out his wand and cleaning them both with a muttered spell.

"Harry!" came another familiar voice, this one from Hagrid. "And you, professor. Alright there?"

"We'll be fine, thank you," his father said, rising and leading Harry away.

"See you later, then," Hagrid called.

Harry breathed deeply when they walked onto the more familiar street, where giant Gringotts was the most imposing sight. He smiled when he say the Weasley clan rushing towards him, and he noticed Hermione and her parents as well.

"Oh, thank goodness, Severus. Where did you find him?" Mrs. Weasley asked.

"Knockturn Alley," he replied.

"Not the best place, but we did hope he only ended up one floo down," Mrs Weasley said, relieved, as she brought him into a tight hug.

"Yes, well, I have an errand to run with Harry. Why don't we meet you in forty-five minute in Flourish and Blotts to collect their books?" his father instructed, though it sounded like a question. He led Harry away, and when they were out of earshot, his father asked, "Would you still like to pick out a snake? I won't be offended if you'd rather something else- but it was your Christmas gift."

"Oh yes, sir. That would be great. I'm still allowed?" he said, hoping his father wasn't too angry from the floo trouble.

"Of course, Harry. It was your Christmas gift, after all."

Harry soon found himself looking at a dozen different snakes in a back corner of the Magical Menagerie, "Snakes are somewhat popular pets of students in the Slytherin House. It was more common in my day, but there are a handful owned by members of my house. He may stay in your room in Gryffindor tower if you wish, in a cage we will purchase as well, or he may stay in our rooms.

"Maybe Salazar would like a friend?" Harry asked. "Maybe if they got along, we could get them a bigger cage together, or something that could connect their cages?"

"I think Salazar might like that, but you'll have to ask him. Go ahead and find one that you like. Talk to them."

Harry stepped closer to the cages, " _Hello?_ " There was an instant flurry of motion, some snakes cowering in the backs of their cages, but most coming to the front to look at him. Whispered hisses surrounded him that barely sounded like words when they blended together.

One voice stuck out to him, "The small feeder speaks our language." Harry looked around and pinpointed the voice. It was a snake that was red, black, and yellow and about as long as Harry's arm, but very thin. The snake had stretched itself to the top of his cage- Harry could tell the snake was male from something in his voice- and pushed the flap to the side, slinking slowly out of his cage to sit on the top, looking at Harry.

Harry stepped closer to the snake that had freed himself. " _What's your name?_ " he asked.

" _I have heard of namess, but I have never been given one or needed one, or I ssupposse I would have given myself one_."

" _Would you like a name and to come home with me?_ "

" _That ssoundss interessting. I believe I would like that, yess, small feeder._ "

Harry turned back to his father, "I've picked that one," he said, pointing to the snake of his choice.

"The one that escaped its cage? Are you sure there's not one that's a bit- easier to manage?"

"I like that one," Harry protested softly.

"Of course. Then it shall be yours. It's a corn snake, and will likely get a bit bigger but not big enough to outgrow that cage, though perhaps we should get a different one that it can't escape from. For now, please ask it to go back in the cage, and we'll take it to the front to purchase it," his father instructed, and Harry followed. The snake didn't seem to mind either.

"He's a he," Harry explained, "But he doesn't have a name, so I guess I have to give him one."

"And what do you have in mind, Harry?"

"I- have a name, but maybe it's silly."

"I'm sure it isn't," his father replied, "But even if it is, you're twelve, so it's your prerogative to get to name a pet a silly name."

"I thought maybe 'Godric'- you know, because he's mostly red and kinda gold, like Salazar's green. Do you think that would be alright?"

His father chuckled, which the man didn't do very often, "I would wager that no snake has ever been named Godric, but it does seem to fit for you, Harry. I believe it is an excellent name."

" _Do you like the name Godric?_ " Harry asked, wondering how with was sounding to the snake. He wasn't sure how proper names would come out.

" _Yess, little sspeaking feeder. That name ssoundss nice. I will remember it_."

Harry smiled as they paid for the snake with his birthday credit, and his father bought a different cage as well.

"Perhaps since we have so much of our day left, why don't I send Godric home?"

"That's okay. How?" Harry asked.

"Milly," his father called. Quick enough, the little elf appeared in front of him. "I told her I might be calling for her today, which the headmaster allows in certain cases. Milly, can you take Harry's new pet and place him in my office next to Salazar for now? We shall be home before dinner if you would like to have something ready."

"Of course, Master Potions Master Severus, sir," the elf squeeked. She grasped onto Godric's cage and disappeared with another crack. Hands free again, the two headed towards the bookstore to join the Weasleys and Grangers again.

*****Harry*****

Harry could hear his father groan behind him when they walked into the bookstore. Hundreds of people were crowded into the small store.

"Stay as close to me as you can. Hold my hand," his father instructed and Harry complied. "That's Gilderoy Lockheart with all of the cameras around him. He will unfortunately be your Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher next year. He claims to have done all sorts of fantastical feats, but with his preoccupation with appearances, I have very little faith in the veracity of those claims," his father said as Harry tried to follow along. So, his father thought that this man was a fraud, which didn't bode well for his next school year. However, since his last defense teacher tried to kill him, Harry didn't think the man with the large smile could be that bad.

Harry saw that they were headed towards the Weasleys in a long line to see the photogenic man. "Severus Snape, my good man. I believe that would make the young man next to you Harry Potter, correct?" the man shouted out. "Harry, come over here with me," he said, pushing his way through the crowds of reporters that were turning and facing their cameras towards him. The strange man was holding out his hand. "Together we definitely rate the first page," the man said. Harry was twisted to the side, and almost protested until he realized that it was his father, not the strange man. His face now pressed into his father.

"My _son_ is not here to be a part of your press conference or to make you look good. You will speak to me as his father rather than to my son who is a minor."

"Oh, but I will all be friends soon, Severus. As you well know and as I now announce to the public, this fall, I will be accepting a post as Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry," the man declared, prompting more whispers and clapping from the crowd and more snapping of pictures. "Albus Dumbledore has been begging me for years, saying that I really am the only man for the job, and he finally wore me down!" More cameras flashed. Harry hoped that he and his father weren't in the pictures, but at least his face was hidden. He felt better surrounded by one of his father's arms.

"Yes- I am aware," his father drawled. "That is why you saw fit to require the entire, expensive collection of your books for each student at Hogwarts. Clearly for their educational aspects rather than to boost your own wallet."

"Oh well of course Harry Potter needn't buy my books. Of course, I daresay he can defend himself pretty well already, but we will work something to make him even better," the man said, as Harry could hear him stacking several books together and walking back to them, "Harry Potter no doubt came here today for a signed copy of my newest book, "Magical Me," which I give him now, free of charge. However, he had no way of also knowing that he would leave hear with free signed copies of all of my books, his complete list of Defense books for when he has classes taught by the very same, magical me!" The man was clearly not daunted by Harry hiding his face or by his father's obvious dislike of the man.

"Thank you, _Gilderoy_. However, you may ask Minerva McGonagall my feelings on others giving my son unwanted gifts because of his name, any event that happened in his childhood, or any other misguided reason, when I prefer to handle my son's expenses myself," he said, hand coming to clasp around to the top of Harry's head. "However, no reason to let books go to waste. If you lose a book, you now have a spare Harry, or if you prefer, copies to give to a friend. If that is all, _Gilderoy_ , I still have need to retrieve the other books on my son's list, if this is indeed still a bookshop that sells such quality volumes," he said, steering Harry back towards the Weasleys and away from the man. Harry reluctantly removed his face from his father's chest to walk beside him, hands still clasped tightly as his father levitated the stack of books with his wand in the other hand. He was at last able to hide among the taller red-heads.

"Do you er- want some books Ron? I hate all that, wish it never happened, you know?" Harry said to his friend.

"We got ours with Dad already, before this lot crowded into the store, but Ginny was off getting robes with Mum, so she still needs them," Ron said, indicating his little sister who blushed when Harry turned to her. Harry grabbed the heavy stack that his father had unceremoniously dropped on the ground and deposited them in the cauldron at Ginny's feet. "So that guy's going to be Defense teacher? Ugh I'm dreading term even more now. Can't let Mum hear me say that though, because she loves the guy. I'm sure when the year's over, she'll treasure our old books, especially the signed ones."

"You don't think we'll use the books for more than one year?" Harry asked his friend.

"Nah- you know what they say- the position's cursed. Whoever we get in Defense each year, we don't have to care about too much 'cause they'll just be gone the next." By this time Hermione had come over and was definitely frowning.

"Ron, you shouldn't say that about our teacher. Have you _read_ any of the amazing things he's done?"

"No- how have you? Aren't we just getting our books today? We just got our book lists _yesterday_."

"Yes, but I already have "Holidays with Hags." I got it for myself when it came out last Christmas, you know, to familiarize myself with best-selling wizarding books, and I have been meaning to pick up his other books since then, but I've been over my new books allotment from my parents, and the Hogwarts library didn't have them for some reason, but fortunately, books on my school lists don't count against my book allotment, and I can perhaps persuade my parents that I should also get his newest book, "Magical Me," for background information about my new teacher, who is, after all, a very important person in the wizarding world," Hermione rattled off.

"Did you see him hassling Harry though? It was like he was desperate for more attention and wanted to use Harry for it," Ron reminded her.

"He did seem- eager, but I'm sure he didn't mean to make Harry uncomfortable. And it was a very nice gesture to give Harry all of those books."

"Harry doesn't _want_ special treatment, and it's not right for a future teacher to do something like that. And it wasn't right for him to require so many expensive books. You can't even get many of them used because most of them are so new," Ron said.

"Perhaps, but I'm sure he didn't mean it to be a burden. Education is important, and it will be nice to be taught by someone with so much experience. You must think so too, right, Harry?"

Harry shrugged, "My dad doesn't like him and thinks he's fake or something, like he didn't do all of the things he's said he has in his books."

Hermione frowned and hesitated, "But Professor Dumbledore would only hire the very best to work at Hogwarts. It's the most prestigious school of wizardry in Europe, perhaps in the world."

"Eh- according to Hogwarts a History, or whatever, of course it is. There's loads of other schools out there. Bill had a pen pal in Brazil for a while when I was a kid. And I'm sure Dumbledore's desperate for teachers now, since no one lasts more than a year because of the curse."

"There's no such thing as-" Hermione started before becoming unsure, "Could there really be a curse for something like that?"

"Yeah, sure. Bill even thinks there's probably a real curse on it, and he's a cursebreaker for Gringotts. You can't be sure, but it's been years now- way too much for a coincidence."

"I'll- have to do some research," Hermione settled on.

Harry's father stood by him once more, "I'm just going to pick up the books on your list. Stay here with the Weasleys and don't stray, understood."

"Yes, sir."

"You couldn't have smiled for the camera, Potter?" Draco Malfoy's voice came soon after his father left. Harry spun around to see his strange, tentative friend.

"He doesn't like the attention," Malfoy, Ron shot back. "We aren't all like you."

"Yes, anyone with eyes can see that. Though it was funny to see Unc- Professor Snape tear that irritating man down though. Interesting year ahead of us though, huh? I bet he doesn't even last until exams." Comments aside, Harry could only think about how Draco didn't reveal his hiding place earlier that day. Harry could see Draco visibly straighten uncomfortably as his father approached. Harry supposed that he wasn't a difficult man to hear coming, with that cane in hand that seemed to be only for show. Draco actually flinched when his father gripped his shoulder.

"So kind of you, young Harry, to give to those- less fortunate," he said, reaching into Ginny's cauldron and grabbing a large book. The man eyed each of the Weasleys in turn while flipping through the book he had taken from Ginny. He had grabbed on from the side, one of Ginny's used books, rather than one of the new Lockheart books. "It is unfortunate that not everything comes free. Of course, when the girl's a bit older, she could be married off, perhaps despite your family, even fetch a decent price, the pretty little thing."

"That's quite enough," Arthur Weasley said, stepping forward.

"It's almost a compliment, Arthur. She might even be ready now- your clan does seem quite- adequate at breeding."

And Mr. Weasley charged forward, wand not even used, shoving Mr. Malfoy into a nearby bookcase. One shelf fell, books crashing down on both of the men. Harry couldn't really see what happened, but he thought that Mr. Weasley was wielding a book, and Mr. Malfoy was hitting out with his cane.

"And what is going on here?" Harry's father asked, looking disgusted with the whole scene.

"Oh hello, Severus, I didn't see you come up," Mr. Mafoy greeted with an attempt at dignity. Rising to his feet, he said, "Come along now, Draco. You can see Severus and Harry on another occasion when they are keeping better company." He said, placing the book he had taken from Ginny back in her cauldron. Draco looked back uncomfortably before following his father.

Harry watched his father as the pair left. His father rubbed his eyes as soon as the door shut behind the Malfoys. "Shall we leave then?" Once outside he said, "I need to stop by the Apothecary as well," he said, and most of the Weasleys and the Grangers headed that way with them. Percy had gone off somewhere, and Fred and George popped in and out. Harry found himself flanked by Hermione and Ron.

"So- spill," Ron instructed, when they were in the shop and probably out of earshot of any others if they whispered.

"What? Tell us more about where you ended up in the floo, and about the secret errand with your father. Er- if you can."

"Like we said, it was a shop on Knockturn Alley, but I was going to just run out, but then the Malfoys walked in, so I hid."

"Hate those Malfoys," Ron butted in.

"Draco's not so bad," Harry found himself saying. Ron made some non-committal noise.

"He didn't turn us in about the dragon," Hermione whispered.

"And er- he found me in the shop, and I asked him to be quiet about it, and he walked away. He even tried to get his father out faster."

"He seems uncomfortable and afraid of his father," Hermione added, so she's noticed the way Draco acted in the store.

"I would too- his father's evil. So maybe the little one's not evil, but still a git," Ron conceded.

"He's my- father's godson. He came over to visit and we got along pretty well," Harry whispered.

"Well, you're a saint, Harry. You'd get on with anyone, except maybe Lockheart back there," Ron teased lightly. "I'm just going to settle for seeing Malfoy as little as possible. And then your dad found you?"

"Yeah. We saw Hagrid down there too actually, but we didn't really say much. My father wanted to get me out," Harry explained.

"And the errand?" Hermione asked.

"Magical Menagerie, er- for a late Christmas gift. Father got me a credit there last Christmas to use when I was allowed to get a second pet as a second year."

"Aw, we could've gone for that? What'd you get? Where is it?" Ron prompted.

"Back at the castle," Harry explained that part briefly. "And er- I got a snake."

"A snake?!" Ron was clearly surprised but tried to keep his voice low. "I mean, I know your dad's the head of Slytherin, but a snake?"

"I can er- talk to snakes," Harry explained.

"What?" Ron gasped. "You're a parselmouth? Why didn't you tell us?"

"I- guess it didn't seem like a big deal and it just- didn't come up. I don't really like to talk about it, but my dad has a snake, and I talk to him sometimes. I don't talk about it because my dad said that people are superstitious about it- that they think it's a dark ability of something."

"Yeah, because Salazar Slytherin was one," Hermione said as if it was a big deal.

"I think I knew that. My father's had his snake since he was our age, and he named him Salazar. He's green, and he's nice. Mine is a corn snake, mostly red and yellow, so I named him Godric."

Ron actually laughed at that, "Only you, Harry. Well, we won't tell anyone, but I hope you like him at least. Really not something you want spreading around though." And with that, the discussion was over, his friends accepting another thing that was strange about their friend Harry Potter.

It was nice to have such good friends, Harry thought with a smile as he headed back to the Leaky Cauldron with everyone. The Grangers left back to muggle London, and the Weasleys took the floo first. When they were gone, his father took his hand. "We go together," he said, "But you can say our destination if you feel ready."

"Next time?" Harry asked, hating sounding like such a child and giving up the opportunity his father granted, but not wanting to mess up again, "I just want to go home."

"Of course," his father replied.

 **A/N: Thank you for reading. If you enjoyed it, please leave a review.**


	18. Chapter 18 Back to Hogwarts (Year 2)

Chapter 18- Back to Hogwarts

*****Severus*****

It was these evenings that Severus liked best, after a long day that had no school duties, several hours of his own brewing, and some time with Harry with no other children running around. In the afternoon, they would have played few games of chess and a bit of flying when the castle was empty enough that he had reasonable assurance that they wouldn't even be seen. On the best of those evenings, Dora would come by after her day at training. Sometimes to give Harry a few tips, as their lessons didn't need to be as frequent as Harry had a better grasp of his abilities, but usually, she just visited to relax and spend the evening with them. She was never invited and never needed to be. She brought her own reading materials many days, and blended into their evenings to the point where Severus wasn't sure what he did in the empty summer evenings without the two of them. After spending an hour or two with him and Dora, Harry would very obviously feign tiredness and retire to his room for the evening, leaving the two of them alone.

"It's so cute how he does that," Dora said after Harry had made some such excuse and left the room.

"Hmm?" Severus looked up from his readings, though he already knew what the woman was talking about.

"Oh you know, leaving us alone. He's a rather thoughtful twelve-year-old. You're mighty interesting your reading today, aren't you?"

"Of course," Severus replied.

"You ignored my little game of footsie, but I'm afraid it might have scared away Harry,"

"Footsie? Is that what the young people are doing these days?" Severus drawled.

"I wouldn't know, would I? Seeing as I'm dating an old man like you?" She just did it to get a rise out of him. He would go back to his reading as a retribution. The witch couldn't stand silence. Sure enough, she shortly tried to engage him again.

"I was reading an amusing article in the Prophet-" she let dangle. "Mentioned you none-too flattering." She tried again quickly, "Was Rita Skeeter one of your former students by any chance?"

That made him sit up straighter against his will, "Just how old do you think I am?" he managed, enjoying the banter despite himself.

"I know very well that you are thirty-two, not so old for a wizard really, not sure why I should know how old she is though. I was just saying that she seems to really hate you, and I could see why if she had been your student," the witch smiled sweetly at him.

Severus forced himself to frown instead of smile, "You hate me then?"

"Not at all," she said, crawling over to sit straddled across his lap, kissing him softly, slowly several times before turning to sit next to him, "Still, got to admit that I could see how a person could. Not saying I admire her choice of subject matter. 'This humble writer hopes that her readers will remember the worry we expressed last fall over the Boy-Who-Lived being raised by an allegedly reformed former Death Eater, and hopes that his new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Gilderoy Lockheart, will be a positive influence on the young boy's life.' I'm sure no one will take it seriously, Severus," Dora said, changing her tone to sincerity, "You had some rather good press last year other than from this Rita Skeeter. I'm personally hoping the Defense teacher curse does something nasty to Lockheart and he becomes a laughing stock of the Wizarding World, and this witch has to eat her words."

"Well, just so you know, she's about a decade my senior, though I heard of her while I was still at Hogwarts. She made her rise as a 'reporter' if she can be called that, by writing about the secrets of her housemates in Slytherin. She evidently spent years at school gathering information from the more affluent families, and revealed what she chose for a good story, fabricating more, and likely used even more as blackmail to work her way into prominent position. Such dealings are an unfortunate reality of Slytherin House."

"For all the faults I found there, I'll still take Hufflepuff as the best," Dora said, settling against his side. Severus would have never admitted it, but he wondered just for a moment if she was right.

*****Harry*****

" _Do you like your new home_?" Harry asked Godric. His father had arranged Godric's cage next to Salazar's with a tube connecting them at the back, after both snakes had agreed to it the day before.

" _Home. That iss a good word. Yess, I like it here, little sspeake_ r."

" _Why do you call me little? I'm a lot bigger than you_ ," Harry questioned.

" _But you are much ssmaller than the large feederss, and you are a youngling, while I am a wizened, grown sserpent_."

" _Do not lissten to him, Harry. He iss little more than a hatchling himsself_ ," Salazar broke in.

Godric let out a hiss that Harry didn't even understand, but seemed to be displeasure, " _Jusst becausse I am not half dead_ …"

" _I'll have to move back to Gryffindor tower with the other students soon_ ," Harry said, interrupting their bickering. Despite it, Harry thought that Salazar really enjoyed the company, and that Godric liked having a real home. " _I'll be sure to visit you a lot though. And my dad is here._ "

" _That iss fine, little sspeaker_ ," Salazar said this time. " _I will keep the hatchling in line in your abssencce. He hass already learned how to esscape from hiss cage, but he sshall not do sso again_."

Harry laughed and left as Godric was making some indistinct, muttering noises. He hoped that his father wouldn't think the extra pet was too much trouble when Harry wasn't around as much. Then again, maybe his father would like the extra company too. 

*****Severus*****

Severus easily agreed to allow Harry to ride the train back to school with his friends. In fact, if Harry hadn't asked, he probably would have suggested it himself. The pair flooed to the magical side of King's Cross forty-five minutes before the train was set to depart. Severus helped Harry place his trunk in an empty compartment, which was almost any compartment this early in the day. Severus caught Harry waving at Draco, which was returned with a more dignified nod, the child's parents watching the encounter and nodding at Severus as well. Harry was delighted to find Neville Longbottom and help the boy board the train and claim a compartment. The Longbottom child seemed glad to be free of his stern-looking grandmother who took her leave once the boy headed towards the train. Severus looked around and confirmed that most parents were milling around looking after their children like Severus planned on until the train actually departed. Granted, he would see his child again in a matter of hours rather than months, so he might not have bothered, but the intentions were the same. He wasn't decided yet on whether he would let the boy ride alone this time or ride the train with him as he had at the end of the term.

Harry kept glancing at the large train station clock, until he was distracted by Hermione Granger's arrival. The girl hugged him swiftly which he returned. Severus spoke for a few minutes with her parents and the children spoke of their summers after they had seen each other last at Diagon Alley. With about a quarter of an hour before the train would depart, Miss Granger went to stow her belongings in the car that Harry had said that he had claimed with the Longbottom boy earlier. His son however, remained awkwardly on the platform. Of course, Severus knew who he was waiting for.

When there were only ten minutes before the train would depart, Harry looked at him anxiously, "Do you think we could wait on the muggle side of the platform? Please?"

"Why would the Weasley family come to the muggle side of the platform rather than floo?" Severus asked, knowing that the Weasleys were the boy's concern.

"Er- they used it last year, and they had all done it loads of times before. I guess it's their tradition?"

Severus sighed, thinking of the large family of red heads including the Weasley twins attempting to blend in in muggle London. The muggle side was typically only used by muggleborns, who were more capable of evading notice and had no other means of magical transportation. Then again, when Severus considered Arthur Weasley's love of all things muggle, it shouldn't surprise him that they would introduce their children to the platform that way. The thought of Lucius Malfoy walking through all of the muggles almost made him smile. "I suppose two more people could not hurt," Severus said, "But only five minutes more," he added, quickly spelling off his outer robe to leave muggle-enough looking black shirt and slacks underneath. "If your friends miss the train, their parents can floo to Hogsmeade and still get the children to school."

Harry smiled and dashed to the border, Severus hurrying to stay on top of him. Harry looked around through the masses, stepping closer to his side until he smiled and waved at the first of the Weasley clan. Percy Weasley nodded and walked through the wall next to them. There was a slight muggle repellant charm on the wall, enough to reasonably assure that bystanders wouldn't notice the strange happenings around that wall a few times a year, but it could not be stronger, or muggleborns' parents would not be able to walk through. Still, it could do to be more discreet than arriving in a red-headed herd and plowing through the wall.

"Running a bit late?" Severus asked a harried Arthur who managed a smile.

"There's always something forgotten to go back for. I should have just made them wait for me owl it but you know-"

"Hi Harry, Professor," Ron greeted, smiling widely. To Harry he whispered, "It's Ginny's fault we're so late. She forgot her _diary_. And Fred forgot something too. His broom I think, but we _had_ to go back for that, of course." The boys chatted until the rest of the Weasley clan had made it through the barrier.

"Go ahead boys," Severus had instructed, having no intention of crossing first and leaving Harry in a strange place without an adult wizard after the Knockturn Alley incident. He hoped that Molly and Arthur were waiting by the other side. The boys trotted quickly towards the barrier, Ron loaded down with his trunk on a trolley. The boy's belongings hit first and crashed against the very solid wall. Harry was startled but acted fast enough to hold out his arms and walk the last step rather than rushing headlong forward. Harry patted the brick wall with growing alarm, helping his friend get to his feet while looking, panic-stricken at Severus. Of course a simple task couldn't go smoothly for Harry Potter. Severus cast a stronger notice-me-not charm around their party, because a station full of muggles couldn't help but notice two children crashing into a brick wall.

Severus patted the wall and confirmed that it was indeed solid. The platform shouldn't have been sealed off like that for hours.

"What do we do? We're going to miss the train," came the youngest Weasley boy's panicked voice.

Severus sighed and touched the tip of his wand to the wall to hide what he was about to do. "Expecto Patronum, instruct the conductor to hold the train for ten minutes by instruction of Severus Snape, Head of Slytherin House." Severus could feel that the spell had worked even if he could not see his doe through the wall. He then turned to Ron Weasley's belongings, shrunk them and made them lighter, handing them over to the boy, "Put it in your pocket and don't lose it. I will enlarge it back at the castle or have an elf do so," Severus said, mind drifting to their summer visit from Dobby the house elf, relatively certain that the creature had caused this inconvenience as well.

"So, we won't miss the train?" Harry asked in his hopeful little voice. Severus sighed, the logical thing being to take both boys directly to the castle instead of bothering with the train. Still, he had asked the train to stay, if only to give him a moment to think, and had fair assurance that it would.

"We shouldn't miss the train," Severus settled on. "Hold out your arms and hold still. I am going to take both of you with side along apparition," he instructed, quickly grabbing both boys and thinking of the apparition point on the other side of the barrier. Side-along apparition was even less comfortable than single apparition, but it couldn't be helped. Once through, both boys beamed at him when they saw the shining red train still in place on the platform. "Go on- hurry to your seats," Severus instructed, headed to the front of the train himself to speak to the conductor. He had already planned on taking the train himself again, even though he would be best served by double checking lesson preparations at the castle. After that morning, he was not going so far from Harry, "I'll be on the train near the front should you need me," he called. If he made a few rounds past Harry's cabin to make himself feel better, he didn't think the boy would mind. Harry smiled, gave him a quick hug, and dashed off with Ron to take him to their compartment and doubtless share the strange happening with his other little friends.

*****Harry*****

Harry and Ron dashed past Ron's parents and onto the train, Harry leading the way to the compartment he had been to before with Neville. Both boys were grabbed before even making it through the door, Hermione grabbing each of their wrists and pulling them into a hug.

"Where were you! Harry, you were just on the platform, and then you weren't. And I watched out the window, and all of the other Weasleys came through, but not you, Ron."

Ron took it upon himself to share the story, "The platform sealed right up. I had my trunk on a trolley and everything, and crashed right into a solid brick wall."

Hermione and Neville gasped just correctly egging on the story further, "But Harry's dad was awesome. He sent a message right off to hold the train, and then he apparated all three of us to the other side so we could get on. I've heard about side-along apparition, but Mum and Dad would only do it in an emergency, because you're more likely to get splinched- leaving a bit of you or the other person behind, you know. But Harry's dad was _great_ at it. It was really uncomfortable though. Oh, and he shrunk my whole trunk down to this size, and made it light as a pebble," he said, bringing out his small trunk.

"I think I could make it larger," Hermione offered, staring with interest at the miniature trunk. She had seemed fascinated by Ron's talk of apparition as well.

Ron quickly snatched it away, "And have to carry around a heavy trunk again? I'll get it fixed later. I'm not sure why Mum or Dad don't always do this, with so many of us trying to get to Hogwarts with all of our stuff. Makes it so much easier. But they like us to have to work hard for things sometimes I suppose. Still, I hope Harry's dad teaches me how to do it."

The group turned to playing Exploding Snap, though Hermione asked Ron a few more questions about apparating and splinchings, which Harry definitely didn't want to hear more about. Apparently, Ron's second oldest brother Charlie, failed his test on the first attempt because he ended up somewhere miles off of his mark. And years ago, Mr. Weasley had splinched himself, leaving half a foot behind when he was in training. But they have people around and ready when the sixth years learn about that, Ron assured them. Harry and Neville didn't seem nearly as eager as Ron and Hermione were to learn that particular magic. Harry was quite content with broom travel.

Harry saw Draco pass the door a few times without Crabbe and Goyle following him, but the boy didn't come in. Harry's father made a few rounds, lingering around their door as well, and did stop to purchase lunch for the four students in the cabin from the witch who came around with food. He said it was to ensure that Harry ate something besides chocolate frogs, though he didn't comment when Harry did purchase several chocolate frogs and other sweets with his pocket money. When Ginny peaked through the door when they were almost at Hogwarts, Harry waved back, but the girl's face vanished before Harry was even sure if she noticed.

*****Harry*****

Harry enjoyed the Welcoming Feast even more than he had the year before. Last year, he was so relieved to be away from the Dursleys, but he was still scared of- really of everything around him. Now, he had a father, excellent friends, and with the new first years, around, he wasn't even the smallest boy at Hogwarts anymore. One small boy in particular was excited to be sorted into Gryffindor and waved furiously at Harry. The boy had a camera hanging around his neck, badly hidden under his robes until he pulled it out to snap a picture of Harry. Disliking cameras since the Flourish and Blotts incident, but not wanting to seem rude, Harry gave a half-hearted confused wave back. When there were hardly any first years left, Ginny Weasley was sorted into Gryffindor to join the rest of her family. Harry thought about how her siblings claimed that the girl could be fierce and tried to reconcile that with the shy girl who blushed and hid whenever he was around. He also thought the girl looked a bit ill, but he remembered that he had also felt nervous at his sorting, so couldn't hold that against her.

Walking back to Gryffindor Tower amongst the chatter of his friends, if felt good to not have to be shown the way by a prefect like he had the year before. He hadn't been lost in the castle in months, though getting lost in the dungeons that once and having a fight with Draco Malfoy, hadn't actually turned out as badly as he'd thought. He was almost friends with Draco now, and he had two rooms in the castle instead of just one. As he settled into his bed for the night, he thought of his father, Godric, and Salazar all several floors below and smiled, planning to visit them soon.

 **A/N: There, Harry is off to another school year, and so is Severus. What does this school year hold? There will be more cannon departures as the year goes on, and I hope you enjoy it all. Reviews motivate me to do more writing, so please review!**

 **Today, I also posted the beginning of my next story- Are You My Father. It is another Severus and Harry story, but it starts at the end of Harry's fifth year. So, please go check that out as well! I'm nervous and hope people like it. I might update that story more often for the next month or so, to give myself time to catch up and write more of second year for this story, but I'm definitely still working on this one!**


	19. Chapter 19 Settling In

Chapter 19- Settling In

*****Severus*****

Severus walked into Albus's office, glancing briefly at the sorting hat back in its place after disseminating the first years into the four houses. He'd need to speak to all of his first years soon, but perhaps the prefects could handle them for one night before he saw them in the morning.

"We were stopped at the train station," Severus began.

"Yes, I heard from the train that it would be seven minutes late this year," Albus commented lightly.

"Yes, well, it seemed necessary. More specifically, I believe, _Harry_ was stopped from entering the platform. I would wager it to be the elf again, misguided attempts to 'protect' Harry from whatever dangerous business Lucius Malfoy has planned."

"Do you really believe that the man would bring danger that could harm students at Hogwarts, his own son included?" the old man asked. The man would tend to believe the best in people who didn't deserve it. Sirius Black jumped to mind first, but Severus himself had received undeserving forgiveness as well.

Severus considered the blond that he's known since his Hogwarts days, even considered a friend, "Intentionally- no. Family and blood ties were important to Lucius. However, ties can be overshadowed by larger intentions, and planning was never Lucius's greatest strong suit, despite what he would like everyone, particularly the Ministry to believe as he gives them his generous donations. Indeed, perhaps he believes the danger can be limited to exclude his son, perhaps he only perceives it to be a danger to _my_ son."

"You and Harry are doing well then?" Damned old man couldn't stay on topic.

"Of course," Severus huffed.

"What do you propose be done, Severus?"

"I want a trap, for a house elf, Albus. I believe the creature will try to infiltrate school grounds, and I want the thing captured when it does. And I need Harry's room in the tower, and the common room, at least, to be blocked from the elf as my quarters are now. I don't think the thing means Harry harm, but I do not trust anything owned by Lucius Malfoy." Even if the man was his friend, Slytherin friendships, especially among former followers of the Dark Lord, were considerably different.

"Of course, Severus. I will have it done before Harry goes to sleep tonight. I will have the areas restricted to your little elf Milly and a few others who have served Hogwarts all of their lives. Will that be acceptable?"

"Thank you, Albus," Severus replied curtly, sweeping out of the room. Perhaps he should take the time to visit his new students now after all.

*****Harry*****

"Lockheart's completely useless," Ron exclaimed. Hermione had convinced them to stay late in their final class of the day, even after the teacher left, just to clean up his mess from letting pixies loose in the class.

"Ron," Hermione looked appalled, "We've talked about that. How can you say that without any basis at all? I admit his methods are- unusual, but they're very hands on, and he's written so much great advice."

"I could write stuff too," Ron protested. "Does anyone even fact check his books? They're always in really far off places, so how does he even hear about these dangerous problems that need solving? And- and, when does he do them? Surely some of those took a long time to fix right? And to travel about looking for people to save? When did he do that? Isn't he always making appearances wherever there's a camera?"

Hermione frowned but didn't say anything in return. Ron grinned broadly at the small victory of silencing their smart friend. Harry thought that Ron had a point, but surely someone did make sure the man was telling the truth before they published it, right?

*****Severus*****

Severus held Harry back after class on Friday, knowing the boy had a free period next. He wouldn't admit that he missed having the boy in his rooms, seeing him casually every day. Harry had stopped by twice that week, but more to check on Godric than anything else, Severus thought.

"So, Harry, you've had each of your second year classes by now, what do you think?" Severus started conversationally.

"They're alright. Great, mostly. In Herbology we're working with Mandrakes, and I think we'll do that for a while, though only when they're still young, because their screams can kill people when they're older, and I don't think she'd trust us with that. They're pretty ugly, but cool. And we're transfiguring more living things in Transfiguration now, beetles and such. Charms is about the same. Potions is great, of course," the boy said, not that he expected Harry to say anything different, at least to his face, "And er- history is the same as last year. Oh, and the first day of Astronomy was pretty much basically review." Students almost forgot about Astronomy sometimes, even though the classes were usually inconvenient, they were at least less frequent than the other subjects, once a week at most. Severus couldn't do much to defend the class; muggles knew more about the skies than wizards did anyway. The "magical" study of stars was too close to Divination for Severus's likings.

"And Defense?" Severus prodded, knowing that the boy was leaving it out on purpose. Of course, the boy would have dreadful teaching under that egomaniac, but Severus needed to know how bad it would be. He might have to supplement the boy with actual personal instruction, though the boy's schedule was tight as it was, with classes, quidditch, and still occasional lessons with Dora.

"Er- well, we have really terrible assignments where he just asks us what his favorite color or life goals are, and then he ran away when the Cornish pixies were out of control, and we had to get them back in their cages. I guess I learned something with that one, even if he wasn't around."

Severus sighed, "Well, don't let his drivel make your more- adequately instructed classes suffer."

"Yes, sir," the boy grinned shyly. Harry obviously enjoyed hearing the slight against his "colleague."

"Well, I'm sure your friends are waiting for you, but it's always pleasant when you come by our rooms," he said before he heard how pathetic that sounded even to himself. "And I'm sure Tonks is looking forward to seeing you this evening."

"Thanks," Harry said, leaving his classroom with a quick wave.

*****Harry*****

Harry stared back into Ron's face in the mirror, trying to concentrate on Tonks's advice.

"Okay, now try to hold it as we have a conversation," Tonks instructed, "So, you're a big second year now. How was your first week?"

"Pretty good," Harry said, finding the sensation extremely strange. They were working on voice mimicking, a very finicky internal bit of metamorphmagus training, and Harry was finding it more difficult than any part of the ability that he'd worked on before. He was trying to sound like Ron, but it didn't really sound like anyone. "Ugh, this is hard."

"You're doing fine. It's definitely not your voice at least. Keep going. Tell me about your week," Tonks instructed.

"Well, there's this boy that follows me around with a camera a lot. I hate those things. But usually when I see him, I morph into someone else before he sees me," Harry admitted. "So he hasn't really bothered me much." Harry didn't mention that he also used his abilities to hide from Professor Lockheart whenever he saw the man coming outside of class. It was easier than pulling on and off his invisibility cloak, though he still kept that on him in case of emergencies.

"Brilliant. Putting your skills to good use. Go on," she urged.

"Classes are fine, except Lockheart's not very good. My friends are fine too, but I think Ginny's been quieter than usual, around other people I mean, because she's always been quiet around me, but I guess I never see her for more than a few seconds, so I wouldn't know, and maybe it's just hard being away from home for the first time."

"Being a first year is hard," Tonks agreed. "And you were back to your normal voice by the end. Try again, lad," Tonks instructed cheerfully. "Tell me about this Lockheart. I never really liked the sound of him."

*****Severus*****

"Wotcher," Dora called, stepping into his rooms. He'd known that she'd probably stop by after her lesson with Harry. At least, he hoped she would. "So, Harry's back in his room in Gryffindor Tower now," she said.

"Yes," Severus agreed, "It is nice and quiet again."

"You're such a liar, Severus. You miss him like crazy." She said, sitting on the couch he had been on moments ago, and he retook his seat. He wasn't sure when he had started to prefer his couch to his chair. Possibly, it was because he now enjoyed sitting next to someone.

"I wouldn't be a very good father if I didn't," Severus huffed, dropping all pretenses of reading the article in his hands, placing it on his table instead. He couldn't focus on anything else with the witch here.

"It's not all bad. Harry's happy to have his friends back, and I have you to myself, though I miss him too. A drink perhaps?"

"I need to be alert," Severus replied.

"Yes, any update on what the elf meant about danger around here? I heard about some trouble at the station. Anything wrong?"

"I believe the elf did that," Severus sighed. "The house elves have assisted in traps for an outside house elf, but the creature hasn't tried to get onto the grounds yet. And there have thus far been no 'gravely dangerous' happenings," Severus sighed.

"But, you feel like you need to be on watch every minute of year until something does happen," Dora voiced his thought. If he thought she were a better at Legilimency… "It's too much for a person," Dora concluded.

"The Headmaster is aware of the situation as well," Severus reminded her.

"Yes, and the _Headmaster_ thought it was a good idea to keep the most valuable stone in the world in the same place as a bunch of school children. I'm not sure his sense of danger is properly balanced, and that's coming from an auror in training who actually signed up for a life-threatening career."

"Not making me less worried," Severus grumbled. He wouldn't admit to anyone else that he was worried about anything. He was worried about danger at Hogwarts, about Dora's safety in training, even about Harry's happiness.

"Well, how about this- Harry is smart, and he has great friends, and he has you. And you both have me," she smiled, and Severus noticed how much closer she'd come. One leg slung over his, and she almost overbalanced before she was sitting on his lap facing him, one leg on either side. And she kissed him. Perhaps there was something to what she was telling him. If he never relaxed at all, he would go mad before September was over, and he'd be no good to anyone.

*****Harry*****

Quidditch practices had gone to a new level of intense. They weren't planning on having try outs this year, since everyone was returning from the team last year, and they'd been so close to winning, as Oliver mentioned a few times. Harry felt queasy. He knew that if he hadn't been unconscious in the Hospital Wing for their last game of last year, they would have had a much better chance of winning the Cup. Out of habit, Harry peaked around the stairway, and drew his head back and changed himself when he saw Colin Creevy waiting for him. He changed into Seamus this time, and walked out without the smaller boy paying him any attention. He felt bad for avoiding the boy, but he really couldn't afford the delay when Oliver expected them on the pitch so early.

"Been hard to book the pitch this year, because the times have been getting booked already," Oliver said.

"But who besides Oliver would be crazy enough to start practice this early?" Fred piped up.

Oliver didn't seem offended, "Slytherin. It seems that they have at least one new player, but I couldn't find out anything else."

"I hear they all have new brooms," Katie Bell, normally the quietest on the team except Harry spoke up.

"New brooms? All of them?" Alicia asked.

"Harry knows something," George said quickly.

"What?!" Harry sputtered.

"He's right. You know something about the Slytherin's brooms. It's written all over your face," George agreed.

"Do you know something, Harry?" Oliver prodded, looking so eager. "From your father maybe?" Oliver certainly wouldn't be above using any information Harry could get on the Slytherin team- he had suggested Harry try to gather information almost as soon as he had found out that Snape was Harry's father.

"Er- Mr. Malfoy bought the whole team new Nimbus 2001s after Draco made the team. And er- I think he's going to be chaser, but maybe seeker."

" _After_ he made the team?" Angelina asked. "Yeah right. Daddy must've bribed the whole team to let his son on."

"He's not a bad flyer," Harry found himself saying.

"I guess you had flying class with him," Angelina agreed. "Didn't he lure you into the air in the first place? I guess he might not be bad," she went on without needing any confirmation from Harry, "One possibly underqualified chaser might not be enough of a disadvantage if the whole team's on brand new brooms, Oliver. I hope the kid goes for seeker, because our Harry could definitely beat him." Harry turned his head away to hide his blush. Fortunately, Oliver went ahead with practice, and Harry could just relax in the air, and then look forward to visiting Hagrid with Ron and Hermione later that morning, and enjoying the rest of his weekend before classes got too busy and he had too much homework.

*****Harry*****

Harry stared at the chess board, trying to really have a good go this time, trying to visualize several moves ahead or whatever. It wasn't really working for him, but he thought he wasn't embarrassing himself too much.

"I was just helping Neville with some homework. Have you two finished yours before you started playing?" Hermione asked, settling in the empty armchair that she often occupied.

"It's only _Saturday_ ," Harry reminded her, "And we don't have anything due for a week."

Instead, Ron answered, "Finished potions, almost done with Transfiguration, and started on everything else except History of Magic." Harry finally settled on a move and moved his piece. Ron instantly refocused on the board, though Harry was pretty sure he already had his move planned out.

"Well- I'm impressed," Hermione replied. "Though you really should care more about History of Magic. It's an important subject too. They say that those who don't learn from history are doomed to repeat it, and while it's just a saying, it does have some truth," Hermione went on. Harry could tell that Ron wasn't paying attention anymore when there was a chess board in front of him.

"It's hard to care when he doesn't even read them. I'll just write a lot and get an 'O'," Ron said dismissively.

"What?!" Hermione shrieked. Both boys looked at each other and then at each other and then at Hermione. "Ron, you can't just keep accusing teachers of things like that. Professor Binns has been teaching longer than any teacher at Hogwarts and he knows what he is doing."

"Er-," Ron started, attention finally torn from their game. Harry wanted no part of that discussion, "Well, I started trying harder a bit into last year, you know. And I wrote the best history essay I'd ever written, five times better at least, with footnotes and everything, and I checked out extra books from the library. But it was an inch too short and I couldn't come up with any more, but I thought it'd be okay. I got a 'P'. So- er, I was pretty frustrated and didn't try as hard the next time, but when I turned in my awful essay, I got an 'A' like always. But I noticed that yours was twice as long as mine and you got an 'O', so I figured that he didn't care if you went on too long, so I er- tried it and just wrote a lot, and I got an 'E' the next time. Second term, I didn't get anything but 'O's, after I started writing almost as much as you do. I even pushed it a bit, wrote some nonsense in the middle, repeated whole sentences, and still got an 'O'," Ron admitted. Harry was busy not looking at either of his friends. Ron had given him this tip as soon as he'd discovered it, but they'd agreed that it would just upset their studious friend who was getting 'O's anyway." Maybe they really should have told her earlier though.

Harry snuck a glance at Hermione when she'd been silent for a few seconds. Her mouth was slightly open. She had sunken deeper into her chair. "That was- good deduction, Ron," she admitted, looking lost. Harry was glad that she didn't ask him about it.

"And er- we're not just having fun. It's wizard's chess. They say it sharpens the mind," Ron said, though his friend's face was pink.

The phrase Ron used, about sharpening the mind, made Harry think about when Draco said something similar. "Hey, Ron, have you ever read a book about chess?" Harry thought it might brighten Hermione up to hear about books too.

"Books about wizards' chess? Yeah, once. Percy got one for me back when he'd still play me. Don't tell him I told you, but since I've been better than him for a few years, he won't play me anymore. The people who write them are great and all, and they're good to learn from, but I don't like to use them too much. I mean, Percy must've memorized a dozen, and I can still beat him. Why?"

"Just something Draco said over the summer when we were playing chess. He likes the books," Harry said lightly.

"Malfoy likes wizard's chess? Is he any good?" Ron asked quickly, always eager to hear about a possible opponent, even if he didn't like Draco.

"Er- better than me, but not better than my dad or you," Harry said, which was the truth, though even if Draco were better than Ron, Harry didn't think he'd tell his friend.

Harry saw the large smile cross Ron's face, "Well, you're getting a lot better, really. And I guess if Malfoy likes wizard's chess, he can't be _all_ bad. Maybe I'll get to beat him sometime."

*****Ginny*****

Ginny Weasley awoke in an unfamiliar hallway, confused as to how she got there and why she was lying on the floor. The first week at Hogwarts had been scary, but Tom had been a huge help to her, telling her about spells she would learn and comforting her when she didn't fit in, telling her that it was even better to not be like the rest. Ginny looked around and found her bag of books beside her. She double checked to make sure that her diary was still among them. She would tell Tom about waking up in a strange place, and he would tell her it was alright. It was probably just a prank from one of the twins, or maybe one of her roommates who didn't seem to like her very much. After a bit of wandering, she found that she was on the first floor, not so far from the strange bathroom that was haunted by that sad ghost. Ginny wished she knew exactly where the kitchens were, because she felt like she had missed dinner as well. If the twins weren't being so mean to her, pranking her, maybe she could ask them. But Tom probably knew that as well. Smile now put on her face, Ginny started walking towards Gryffindor Tower. If she went now, maybe she could be asleep before her roommates even came to bother her. And she was so very tired.

 **A/N: I'm back! I am less than ten reviews away from this story being my most reviewed story ever, so please help me hit that on this chapter! I've been working very hard on this story which has caused the delay where instead I posted a previously completed (part 1 of) story, Are You My Father.**

 **Comments on this chapter: So, in book two, Harry first hears the strange voice during his detention with Lockheart. Tonight instead though, Harry was enjoying a pleasant evening safe in the Gryffindor Common Room, none the wiser to the impending danger at Hogwarts. And Hermione is slowly starting to learn that you can't trust teachers blindly, and I liked that little scene that came to me. I hope you enjoy the little differences from canon starting to build up, and more will come soon.**


	20. Chapter 20 Halloween

Chapter 20- Halloween

*****Harry*****

"Father?" Harry called, coming into their rooms. It wasn't unusual for him to come to their rooms in the dungeons, especially to see Godric, but Harry was nervous this time anyway.

"Yes, Harry?" hi father answered, walking into the main room from his bedroom.

"What's a Deathday Party?"

His father raised an eyebrow, "I believe it is typically a party for ghosts, not something the living usually see. Why?"

"I was invited to one on Halloween," Harry said, gazing at his feet. If his father didn't ask for more, he wouldn't mention that he was invited by Nearly Headless Nick after the ghost diverted Filch's attention after Harry was caught getting the castle muddy after quidditch practice. Harry could hardly help that he didn't know the cleaning charms to clean up after himself, though maybe he'd see if Hermione knew them later.

"What? Who invited you?" his father demanded, seeming startled and upset.

"Er- Nearly Headless Nick. I think it's the anniversary of his death, but it seems like a weird thing to have a party for," Harry explained, unsure why his father was so alarmed.

"I see," his father said, now more relaxed, "Yes, it is a rather strange event, though you may find that ghosts see everything rather strangely. I confess, I feared something else, from the date. Your- mother, and James Potter died on Halloween."

"Oh," Harry replied, trying to think of if anyone had told him that before, "I think I knew that. Sorry to bring it up, sir," he said uncomfortably.

"No, Harry. You did nothing wrong, child. If you have any- questions, I'm here to answer them, Harry."

"Do you do anything special on Halloween?" Harry asked timidly.

"I- typically attend Hogwarts feast with the rest of the staff and try to ignore the day. With the exception of last year when I was running around worrying about you and a troll," his father said. Harry ducked his head, but he didn't think his father was upset at Harry for that, at least anymore.

"I think- is it alright if I just come down here for Halloween? Just this one time? I don't really want to go to a feast or a Deathday party."

"Of course, Harry. Would you- like me to spend the evening with you?" he asked a bit awkwardly.

"Yes, sir," Harry said. He didn't want to be around the whole castle, but he didn't really want to be alone either.

"Then of course I will. Now, I think you should run along before your friends worry about where you are. You shouldn't be in the halls alone, Harry. Do you need me to walk you?"

"I'll be fine," Harry said, leaving the room quickly, not wanting to be taken around like a little kid.

After Harry left, Severus sat at his desk for several minutes before slowly turning back to grading whatever papers he had before him.

*****Harry*****

Harry was halfway to the Great Hall from the dungeons when he saw Godric slithering to him from the direction of the upper floors. Harry's father had told him that Godric still liked to escape his cage, but not that the snake had gotten out to roam the rest of the castle. Still, Harry wasn't surprised. He did walk quickly over to his pet, and knew he would need to convince him not to leave their rooms. He would hate for someone to think that Godric was just a snake without an owner and take him outside, or worse, hurt his snake.

"Godric," Harry said, "Let me take you to our rooms. It's dangerous out here where someone might not like you. And some people are afraid of snakes too."

" _I know. I made one almosst your father'ss ssize sscream_." The snake said, and Harry knew the snake was enjoying himself. Harry couldn't let it keep happening though. Maybe his father could put a ward up around their rooms so Godric couldn't leave them. Harry would have to ask him about it later.

"Harry?" Harry spun around to see Draco Malfoy in the hallway alone. Now that he thought about it, Draco was alone more this year than he had been before, not hanging out with Crabbe and Goyle as much these days.

"Oh hey, this is my pet snake, Godric. He stays with my dad in the dungeon, but he gets out sometimes, I guess."

"You have a- nevermind," Draco said, looking quickly around the hallway. Harry wasn't sure why he was being so jumpy. No one else was around anyway. "In here," Draco said, moving quickly into an empty classroom that the castle always had so many of everywhere.

"Why?" Harry asked, though he couldn't even see Draco anymore. He did trust Draco, but he remembered whatever mysterious danger Draco's father was planning.

"Just do it," Draco replied. Harry stepped into the room, and Draco closed the door behind him.  
"I don't want anyone to see or hear us, alright? No one knows what to think of you since you're our Head of House's son but also- you know."

"Okay? I guess I get it," Harry said. Slytherins, including Draco, had definitely made it known that they hadn't liked him at the beginning of last year. But they'd been alright since then, so- yeah, he could understand that.

"Does Uncle Severus know you're going around speaking to snakes in the hallway where anyone could hear you? You told him you're a parseltongue, right?"

"I- he knows about me talking to snakes, yeah. That's why he got me my own snake. He has one too named Salazar, which is sort of why I named mine Godric, and because he's red and yellow."

"Only you. Look, you can't just talk to snakes where someone can hear you, didn't he tell you that?"

"Er- my dad said that I should be careful who I told, because some people think it's dark. Probably because Salazar Slytherin could do it, but he's a Hogwarts Founder, so that's pretty cool."

"It's not _just_ because Slytherin could do it. People think it's dark because the last person known to talk to snakes was You-Know-Who," Draco told him. Harry's mouth dropped open. No one had told him that part. "It runs in families, like a lot of things, like your metamorphmagus stuff too, I guess. But Uncle Severus can't do it- can't talk to snakes or- well I'd probably know about it from my father. It's- it's weird okay, and you shouldn't show it off. You need to be more careful," the other boy told him.

"Why are you telling me this?" Harry asked.

"Because- because you're Uncle Severus's son, and you needed to be told. I'm trying to be- I'm doing you a favor. If some of the older Slytherins knew you could do that they might- I don't know- think you were going to be the next Dark Lord or something. And if kids know then all of their parents know, and it'd be in the papers by tomorrow. It's just- better to not talk about some things."

"Are you going to tell your parents, Draco?" Harry asked, waiting for the answer. It wouldn't be good for Mr. Malfoy to find out something like that, Harry was now sure. He should have been more careful about it outside of their rooms, even if he still didn't really understand what the big deal was.

Finally, Draco responded, "No, I won't, okay? I promise."

"Thanks, Draco, for telling me about it all, you know," Harry said.

"Don't thank me. I'm just looking out for my godfather," Draco said, though Harry could tell that he looked uncomfortable, probably for doing something nice to Harry, and for saying he wouldn't tell his father something. He hadn't told on Harry in Borgin and Burkes that summer, but this was even more direct, and Harry didn't think Draco was used to keeping anything from his father. "See you around," Draco said, slipping out of the room.

Harry didn't see his father when he returned Godric to their rooms in the dungeon. He left Godric just inside the door, because it hardly helped to put him back in a cage he could just escape from, and Harry didn't mind the snake having roam of their quarters at least. He thought back on what Draco had told him, and it unsettled him. If the ability was usually passed down in families, where did he get it? His father definitely couldn't talk to snakes, or he'd have been talking to Salazar for years. And his mother was a muggleborn, so she probably didn't have it either. It made him queasy to think that he shared an ability with the man who killed his mother, but he did love talking to Godric and Salazar, so it couldn't be completely bad. Harry would keep all of this to himself, not even mentioning his talk with Draco, but it did give him a lot to think about.

*****Severus*****

Halloween dinner in their quarters with Harry was up to usual Hogwarts high standards, but everything tasked like chalk in Severus's dry mouth. He had done his best to ignore this date for eleven years, or thirteen actually, though for very different reasons for the first two, after the last time he saw Lily. Harry seemed happy enough, but nervously silent.

"Can you tell me about her? Like how you met?" Harry burst out, as he was reaching for treacle tart, which Milly always supplied for him.

That was harmless enough, surely, "I was nine when we first met. I- went to the park often as a child, but would usually hide when other children came. Sometimes I'd leave then, and sometimes I'd watch the other children. It was the third time that I'd seen your mother and her older sister when I first saw Lily perform magic. The next time I saw her, I came out to speak to her. She was nice and very excited to learn about magic. She believed everything I told her right away. Her sister, your- aunt, was much less pleasant. We would meet in the park often, usually with Petunia as well, though I enjoyed it more when Petunia was too busy to come. We would show each other the little magics we had managed. Sometimes I would find an old book of my mothers, and we would pour over it for hours. When I found my mother's wand, we enjoyed that the most, taking turns and trying spells from the books, with somewhat limited success. When we became more serious, Petunia told her parents, but Lily smoothed everything over, saying that we were just playing, after I convinced Lily not to tell them the truth. When I met them, Robert and Anne Evans were very kind. I began to spend more time at their house, and they took me along with Lily and Petunia to Diagon Alley for the first time, once they finally found out about Hogwarts." He hadn't thought about Mr. and Mrs. Evans in far too long. Everything would have been so different for Harry if they had been alive to be a presence in the boy's life. The poor child didn't even know enough about them to mourn, but he didn't want to bring the boy more unhappiness.

"Aunt Petunia went to Diagon Alley?"

"Yes, she did, and she was jealous of everything. She would deny it later, but it was nothing but lies. Her parents even bought her a set of robes and an owl, even if they couldn't buy her a wand."

"She had an owl?"

"Yes, for the whole family really, but it was Petunia's in name. They used it to write to Lily at school. They even got a subscription to the Daily Prophet, and some magical books for the family. Your grandparents were so interested in everything magical," the child nodded, in wonder. But Severus's life couldn't have been allowed to stay that good. Of course, most of the destruction was his own damn fault. His tongue was too large for his throat, and so dry, it was a wonder that he could speak.

"There isn't much else to say," he forced himself to speak. There was so much else he could say, but none of it was pleasant. When we went to school, I was sorted into Slytherin and she into Gryffindor. We stayed close for years, but found ourselves… as part of different circles that did not interact. Differences escalated and the friendship eventually ended after a particular incident that Lily could not forgive me for." He hoped the boy wouldn't ask more about that particular piece.

Harry nodded slowly, "But you had me, so- so she must have forgiven you eventually, right?" the child asked, innocently confused.

Oh, what a question that was… "Harry, it's unfortunate, but adults don't always…" Did the child even know about sex? How was he to explain that two people could have sex without love, without forgiveness, with absolute hatred even? Not that he hadn't loved her, but she certainly hadn't loved him, and he hadn't cared, or at least hadn't cared enough not to do it anyway. He had had no dillusions left by then. "My forgiveness wasn't discussed. We didn't- talk much at all. I imagine some form of- regret or simple curiosity drove her to find me. We hadn't spoken in years and didn't speak afterwards. She was engaged not long afterwards and married quickly. When she had you, I did try to make sure that you weren't mine, but you looked so much like a Potter, even then, I was sure, and I suppose she was sure as well," Severus finished, hoping Harry would run out of questions.

"And she died… Why would You-Know-Who go after my mum? Or was he after James Potter? No one- seems to know why," Harry muttered. "Do you know?"

A direct question to perhaps the biggest thing he had kept from Harry so far. But the child was still so young. Severus had feared that this would come up. What else could they talk about on the anniversary of her death? "Harry, there are many things that I do not know myself, so I cannot tell you the whole story. I will also admit that I think it is best that I _don't_ tell you quite everything that I know," Was that really what was best for Harry? Probably. Severus didn't know all of the prophesy, but he didn't think Harry was ready for the idea that he was possibly destined to defeat an entity that had been so blessedly absent for the last eleven years. Severus observed the small boy's frown at his words even though the child nodded. Harry wouldn't fight him on this for the moment. Severus gathered the courage to continue, "However, I want to never outright lie to you. I will understand, Harry if you react angrily to what I tell you today, alright?" The boy nodded again. Merlin knew that he would deserve that anger.

"I was just out of Hogwarts when I joined the Dark- when I joined You-Know-Who's service. I knew early on that it was a time I would regret, but I felt it was my only choice. I had several misguided reasons, and frankly I enjoyed the attention that I was given in that circle that I had not received before. I do not defend my actions now, and I was part of many, unforgivable things." He did not even know how many lives he might have destroyed, even if he didn't kill much with his own wand. "Perhaps the worst though, was- passing along information that I did not fully understand, but I did know that it would lead to an unknown person's death, or more than one person most likely. What I did not know was that the-," He had almost said the word 'prophesy' but that would lead to questions he hoped to avoid. This was as difficult to say as he had pictured, "I did not know that You-Know-Who would take that information and target you and your family." He should have known- then he would have never passed it along. What would have been different? "When I learned whom he planned to attack, I went to him and begged for Lily to be spared. I- confess that I did not ask for the same for her husband or," he swallowed but forced himself to continue speaking, "for her unborn son. For you, Harry." Severus risked a glance at the boy, and wished he hadn't seen the child's confused, hurt face. "I am very sorry now." The boy deserved to know that at least, even if words were meaningless in the face of past actions.

He pushed forward, "I didn't trust the- You-Know-Who, by that time to honor his promises, so I went to Albus- to Professor Dumbledore as well. I confessed everything. I begged, pleaded for his help, told them to put all three of you in protection. And he agreed, and I became his spy, passing information to those fighting for the light for the months, for the year and some months when you were in hiding. I had known that what I was doing was wrong for years, since the very beginning, but kept doing it out of fear and some misplaced sense of loyalty. You-Know-Who never let a follower leave his service alive." He deserved to be hated, for the boy to know what a monster Severus Snape has always been, "It is perhaps my greatest fear that if another family was targeted by that information I passed, I might have never left the man's side at all. But when he targeted _her_ , I didn't care about anything else. And in the end, Albus wasn't able to protect her, James Potter, or you any more than my pleadings to my other master had." It had all been Severus's greatest failure, and he hoped it still pained Albus greatly as well. "My work for the light and Dumbledore kept me out of Azkaban for all but a short stint when everything fell apart. However, I spent the next decade hating myself, more bitter each day until I was the man you met at the beginning of your first year, the man who hated an eleven-year-old because of things James Potter had done when he was only a boy. I am not- worthy to be a father, Harry, certainly not yours, and I don't know how to proceed from here." He had to say something more. The boy could hate him, but Harry couldn't run off and be reckless. "The last year has- beyond a doubt, been the best year I have ever had, all because of you, Harry, which I did not think was possible after the wretched ten years before then, and the terrible five or six before that. I didn't have a happy childhood either," he was just rambling by this point. If the child wanted nothing to do with him, it would make proceeding difficult. He was still the child's only choice in guardian, because the muggles were worse even than he was for Harry. The boy could, perhaps stay in the tower over holidays, and see less of him.

This child would always surprise him though. Severus flinched at the first touch, but the boy, still the size of a small first year, wrapped arms around him tightly. Severus hugged Harry back fiercely, afraid to be let go. He noticed the boy's cries, sobs dampening the front of Severus's robes, but Harry still clung as tightly as Severus did. He thought he still needed to offer, "If you want Godric and your other things down here sent up to Gryffindor Tower, I can do that for you." Severus was surprised by the violence of head shaking the child had, still pressed against Severus shoulder. The child was mumbling things that he couldn't make out. "What was that?" Severus asked.

Harry readjusted and pulled his face away slightly, hands still gripped tightly in Severus's robes, "I just want to stay here. Can I stay the night down here? And- and you didn't mean to, and you're sorry anyway, and you've done as much as you could, so I can't be upset."

"You may spend the night, Harry, any time that you need to. And you are also entitled to be as upset as you want, Harry. I- bear a significant amount of the blame for your mother's death. It has haunted me for more than a decade, and I don't- deserve to be as happy as I have been- to have you, or Dora, or anything good in my life, really."

"Don't push Tonks away," the child said in alarm. "She likes you too, and she's smart, and-" the child buried his face in Severus's chest again.

"That she is," Severus agreed, "And far wiser than I, even though at her age, she has no reason to be."

The heart-touching but uncomfortable discussion was tabled for the moment by the appearance of Albus Dumbledore's head in Severus's fireplace. The man didn't mention the state of the two he intruded upon, "Sorry, my good young men. I find the need to borrow Severus for a few moments. In the hospital wing. There was a mysterious attack, but not to alarm you, no students were injured, only a- pet."

"Perhaps Hagrid could be consulted for the animal?" Severus suggested. Hagrid would tend to injured owls occasionally, and though Severus's knowledge of potions would sometimes be needed in the infirmary, surely Poppy could handle a child's pet.

"This is more your department, I'm afraid, and Argus is rather anxious," Albus pressed. Not a child's pet then.

"I'll be there shortly," Severus told the man with a sigh. Albus's head disappeared from the fire. Severus had no more love for Filch's cat than any resident of the castle other than Filch, though he and Argus got along better than most did with the aging squib. Severus reached behind him on the couch, grabbing a blanket and draping it around the boy, "I am very sorry, Harry, that I need to leave you for a bit. I will return as soon as I can. Call Milly to bring you anything at all that you want, okay?"

"Okay," the boy agreed, before Severus stood, straightened his robes, and left his quarters through the floo.

*****Severus*****

Coming into his rooms again, having walked through the castle to give himself more time to think, Severus found Harry asleep on the couch, just where he'd left him. He could tell that tears had half-dried on the child's face. There was always so much to worry about around the boy. Filch's cat had been petrified, for lack of a better word. Between he and Poppy, they had decided on a potion that should revive the little beast, and fortunately, Pomona already had young mandrakes growing. Mandrakes were a rare and dangerous magical plant, so procuring specimens faster than the ones she had would age was not a realistic goal. The old squib and the castle would be fine without the nosy old feline for the months until the mandrakes would be ready. However, the fact that anything was attacked inside Hogwarts itself was worrisome, and Severus could only think that it must have somehow been Lucius Malfoy's doings. However, the man had not been anywhere near the castle, and even between all of the heads of houses, Albus, and Poppy, they could not name a single spell, plant, or creature known to cause petrification of this type, so they knew next to nothing about it except that the cat wasn't dead, and wouldn't be with medical care until it could awake, which it didn't seem to be doing on its own. There was some talk that it bore similarities to attacks at the castle decades ago, which Severus would have to look into, but no credible source was ever found for those attacks. Instead, the "Chamber" story was fabricated and Hagrid was expelled, it seemed.

More troubling than the unconscious cat was the writing on the wall, talk of "Enemies of the heir beware" and the "Chamber of Secrets" being reopened. It was all rubbish of course, as the residents of the castle had spent a thousand years to no avail to find some mysterious chamber left by Salazar Slytherin. Still, it was a scary thought to all those who lived in the castle, especially to the father of a young parseltongue who could be implicated if anyone found out about his unusual talent shared by that particular Hogwarts founder. Such an implication would be ridiculous, of course, and Severus could prove that Harry had been with him that evening, but it was still an unsettling topic.

Severus carefully lifted the boy from the couch, noting that the child had finally gained some weight, and carried Harry into the child's bedroom. Rest would do the boy better than anything else. Without waking the child, Severus set the boy on his bed and spelled him into a nightshirt of Severus's own, shrunk a fair bit, since he didn't see the boy's pajamas at the moment. Severus pulled the blankets up to the boy's chin, and the boy curled up slightly in his wrappings. Severus moved towards the door and only lingering slightly before turning out the light. He was not some doting parent who watched their child sleep. He was very impressed with young Harry though from their talks that night, very impressed.

 **A/N: I hope you enjoyed this! Thank you so much for the kind reviews! This is now my most reviewed story, and it has been for a long time my more followed and favorited story, so thank you so much for that as well. I can't tell you how much it means to me!**


	21. Chapter 21 Questions and Quidditch

Chapter 21- Questions and Quidditch

*****Severus*****

"Harry," Severus said, stepping into the boy's room and waking him. "Get dressed and come see me," Severus instructed.

"Yes sir" Harry replied groggily.

When Harry entered, Severus moved to the couch and sat down, followed by the boy. "Harry, I try to be honest and tell you as much as I feel that I can, so you need to know that something very serious happened last night, alright? Your classmates saw some of it afterwards too, and I'm sure they'll be talking about it," Severus began. He waited for Harry to nod before continuing, "Filch's pet was petrified last night by an unknown attacker and unknown method. There was also writing left behind that was- troublesome. It said that the Chamber of Secrets had been reopened and enemies of the heir were to 'beware,'" Severus said slowly.

"So, what's the Chamber of Secrets?" the boy asked

"It doesn't exist," Severus said definitively. "And I do not think this imaginary chamber has anything to do with the attack, and is merely a ruse to prevent the actual problem from being found. It can't hurt to be cautious though," he acknowledged. What he had to say next was somewhat more troubling for the boy.

"The myth is that Salazar Slytherin left the castle after heated arguments with the other founders, but left a chamber behind that only he or his blood relatives could access. In the wizarding world, there is a lot of speculation and claiming to be a descendant or multiple of the founders is common. It's rubbish of course, because in a thousand years, all genealogies are likely fabricated, and any of the founders could easily have no descendants or hundreds or even thousands of them, and no one has found this alleged chamber in the years since Salazar Slytherin left the castle, and I assure you that nearly every Slytherin has tried."

"Why did he leave?" the curious boy asked. "What was the argument about?" Of course the boy would ask.

This was a question that understandably made those in Slytherin House look bad, and to be completely honest many of those in his house deserved it, " _Allegedly_ , it was because he did not like those of non-wizarding birth being allowed into the school. It was a different time when muggles were beginning to fear wizards greatly, and murder of the magical was becoming common, and sometimes effective, particularly murder of the young and untrained. However, it was an unfortunate belief that did not help anyone even then, and is still shared by too many pureblood wizards today. Do you understand?"

"Er- yeah. I do. Is there- um, anything else I need to know." This was a lot to tell the young boy.

Severus hesitated slightly, "Well, there is no conclusive evidence linking it to the attack on the cat, but there were similarly described attack on students several decades ago, which I believe to have been caused by a teenage Dar- You-Know-Who, and on a later attack, a child died."

"So- maybe Mr. Malfoy knows whatever spell he was using back then and is using it himself now?"

"That _would_ be possible, except I have confirmed that Mr. Malfoy was nowhere on the grounds last night. It is possible that he is using someone else or another method of attack."

"So- I'll be really careful," Harry said.

"And do not go anywhere alone after class time, and I suggest you recommend the same to your friends, Harry. All previous incidents have been in the later evenings or night. I do not know how to stop this _yet_ , but you won't be getting hurt in the process, understood?"

"Yes sir," Harry replied, smiling. The child didn't know how the whole school could turn on him if his little ability got out. Severus hadn't even told the other teachers. Severus wasn't even sure that the child had made the connection that with his- unique ability, someone might believe he was the heir of Slytherin. In fact, vilifying his son might be part of Malfoy's plan. He'd have to risk bringing just a bit more unhappiness to the child then.

"And with allegations of a Slytherin heir bouncing around common rooms, it is even more important not to mention that you are a parseltongue, best not to mention Godric at all to anyone who doesn't already know." Severus watched the boy's face fall. "You are not some supposed "Heir of Slytherin", Harry. I can assure you that he isn't in my ancestry, or your mother's." And if Severus was lucky, Harry wouldn't comment on how Severus had said just moments ago that family records couldn't really be trusted. But really, it wasn't possible, wasn't even worth considering. And the extra reassurance seemed to cheer the child considerably.

*****Harry*****

Hermione and Ron surrounded him the moment he entered the common room, "Harry, we need to talk," Hermione said in an urgent whisper. Harry followed them over to a quiet area and their favorite arm chairs.

"Did you hear about the attack?" Hermione asked.

"And the writing on the wall?" Ron added tensely.

"Yeah, my dad told me this morning and we talked about it," Harry said, wanting to focus on absolutely anything else that morning.

"Everyone's saying that the Chamber of Secrets has to do with Salazar Slytherin, but I haven't been able to check out some relevant books from the library because everyone else is trying to check them out."

"You visited the library already this morning?" Harry asked. He hadn't even been sure that the library would be open.

"Of course, and I wasn't the first one there, clearly," Hermione seemed to be pouting over not getting the book she wanted.

"We just wanted to warn you, since it might be about Slytherin's heir and you can- you know," Ron trailed off awkwardly.

"I know. Look, I already talked about all of this with my dad. And don't be loud or it'll just get out anyway," he hissed.

"So- no one but us and your dad know about your- ability?" Ron asked.

"Er- well, Tonks probably knows, but I trust her, and Draco heard me-"

"Malfoy?!" Ron jumped in. "Harry I know you trust him but-"

"Just you two be _quiet_ about it now, and we'll find out if the whole school learns, won't we? He was the one that told _me_ to be quiet about it before all this though, so I trust him, okay?"

"Okay, Harry," Hermione said, always the calm one. "I'm sure it'll be fine. And you were with your father all of last night anyway, so no one could possibly think any of it had something to do with you."

"Yeah, I was. So, let's just do some homework or something. Have you finished your history essay, Hermione?" Harry asked, unbelieving that he was willingly bringing up a discussion about homework.

The girl blushed, "I- wrote up enough. I- tested your hypothesis, Ron, on my last assignment. I wrote some of what I had planned for history and then included over a foot directly from my transfiguration essay, deciding that if it were discovered I could claim it was an error where I wrote on the wrong parchment from lack of sleep and beg to redo it. But- I still received an 'O'. I just- have trouble believing that a teacher would be so negligent. And-" she said gaining confidence, "I don't know why Professor Lockheart cares so much if we know his favorite desserts and vacation locations when we have no idea how to actually handle a confrontation with a banshee. I- I think he's wasting our time and jeopardizing our education. I've been reading from other sources, and they have been much more informative about dealing with magical dangers."

"Don't forget that a teacher tried to _kill_ Harry last year. Glad to see that you're coming to our side of disrespect. Congrats, Hermione," Ron said, clapping the girl on the shoulder.

Hermione looked uncomfortable, "We should still respect- our professors for the positon of authority they hold but- some are more worthy of it than others," she settled on.

"Good enough," Ron settled on with a laugh. Harry was glad that they had at least decided to talk about something other than his strange abilities.

*****Severus*****

Severus was awake even earlier than usual on the morning of the first quidditch game of the year. Slytherin versus Gryffindor of course. Severus had thought that after that first match, the rest of the season always seemed anticlimactic, because there was so much more energy between the old rival houses. It didn't help his nerves that he couldn't help but think to the same match last year when Harry's broom was cursed. He was supposed to be supporting both his house and his son, and it would be his godson's first game as well. Quidditch was a dangerous enough game without other worries. He hadn't even considered before Harry playing the sport that parents weren't even _asked_ if their children could be on the quidditch house teams. Parents had to sign a permission slip to let third years go to Hogsmead, and yet no one had asked him if his first year could play quidditch. He hadn't really been in a position to say no… but the point still remained.

A quiet pop startled Severus out of his musings. "Sir, Master Potions Master, sir, I is checking the house elf precautions you is asking for, and they is catching a house elf not from Hogwarts this morning, sir," the little elf announced proudly. Perfect. He'd barely have time to talk to the elf before the match if he hurried. He'd have to at least make sure that the elf didn't interfere with Harry, with the creature's recent record of causing trouble.

"Just a moment," Severus said, grabbing a small phial that would be useful in speeding the process. He hadn't performed legilimency on a house elf and wasn't sure if now would be the best time to try, but truth serum should be nearly as effective. "Take me there," Severus instructed Milly, stretching out his hand.

With the uncomfortable feeling of house elf travel, different from the control of apparition one's self, Severus was in the fringe of the forest. They were near the quidditch pitch, so he'd have to make sure that the elf hadn't already interfered there. He turned towards the shrieking sound and saw the Malfoy house elf, still in a grubby pillowcase, struggling against invisible bonds. _Muffliato_ , Severus thought with a swish of his wand to deal with the noise issue. He still had to deal with this quickly.

Walking forward, he unstopped the phial he held, and grabbed the elf's chin.

"No sir, no sir, please!" the elf screamed, but Severus knew that no one would hear.

"I'm not torturing you," he said, carefully pouring two drops into the elf's open mouth, "Just assuring that I receive the truth. You need not feel guilt over anything you tell me, because you have no choice. Will you tell your master about this meeting?" He'd attempt to obliviate the creature if he had to.

The elf had stopped struggling after the first drop of veritaserum, but it was still relatively alert, but no longer frantic, a bit trance-like. Severus wasn't sure exactly how much of the potion to give an elf. Their magic was as strong as a wizard's, or stronger, but their stature and blood supply was so small. "No," the elf said, "I is not admitting any of this to Master, or he is knowing what a bad elf Dobby is."

Immediate problem first, "Have you done anything at all to interfere with the upcoming quidditch match or with Harry in any other way?"

"No, sirs, not since the train wall is not keeping little sir out. I is being stopped now before I is able to do anything, and I is trapped and cannot magic now."

"What were you going to do, elf?" it didn't really matter, he supposed, but Severus found himself needing to know.

"I is planning to make one of the black balls chase after Mister Harry Potter sir, until he is hurt," the elf admitted freely in his current state.

Severus tried to temper his anger towards the inane creature, "And why would you do that?"

"To protect Mister Harry Potter sir, sir. I is only wanting just to hurt so he is wanting to go away, home from Hogwarts."

" _Elf_ ," Severus addressed, even though he knew the creature's name. Hogwarts is Harry's home," Why was he bothering trying to talk to a bewitched elf? "To be clear, your master does not know anything that you have done about Harry? Is that right elf?" Severus said, needing to be sure.

"No sir. Or yes, sir. Master is not knowing. Master would be very mad if he thought Dobby was betraying his plan. Warning Mister Harry Potter could get the plans caught, sir."

"Is the plan to hurt Harry in particular?" Severus probed.

"No, sirs, I do not think so, but I is thinking that it could be hurting anyone at Hogwarts, even Little Master, though Master would not want it to hurt Little Master."

"And what is the plan, in as much detail as you know?" Severus asked. It would be better if Severus could ask a more pointed question, but the elf would give him something

"Master was having a book, a very _evil_ book. I is feeling the wrongness of the magic of the book. He was planning to get the book to Hogwarts, and I is thinking that it is causing bad danger, very much danger. It is being a very _bad_ magic book," the elf rambled on.

"And who has the book now?" Severus prompted. A book was something to go on at least, perhaps a spell book that taught whatever was being used to petrify.

"I don't know," the elf let out almost a squeal. Severus might need to give the elf another drop of the serum.

"You know something. Did he send it to school with Draco?" Severus asked. The trapped house elf trembled. Severus was tiring of this already. He already had reasonable certainty that Lucius hadn't sent anything with Draco or one of his classmates that might have visited in the summer, as Severus had very carefully examined the second year Slytherin boys' dorm for dark magics and had not found anything noteworthy, or traces of something especially dark being recently present there.

"No, no, Master would not give dark thing to little Master. Just one day it is being gone, and I could not find it in the whole house. I is not knowing when it is leaving, but after I came to warn Mister Harry Potter, sir, and before little Mater and Harry Potter is going back to Hogwarts, sir."

"What is written in the book?" Severus said, patience running out.

"Nothing sir. I is trying to see what it is about, but I is not seeing anything in it. But it is a very evil magic book. Master is having lots of dark magic things, but that book is feeling the worst of everything."

Severus almost groaned, "If you were so worried about this book, why didn't you destroy it, elf?"

The elf was breathing hard again, "I is trying at first, since I is knowing master was having bad plans for Hogwarts, sir. I is punishing myself greatly for hurting master's things, but I is trying anyway, but it is not being ruined. And I is not liking doing things I should not do. Dobby is such a baaad elf, sir."

"Dobby," he said, calling the elf by name, "You are being very helpful to Harry, and I thank you. But you _shall not_ try to hurt Harry again. My- accomplices here will just stop you like this if you try. You need to go back to your master's house and not say anything about this at all. I will handle the problem. If you want to help, then just tell me if you find out anything else, alright?" He should do something more drastic, but he couldn't alert Lucius to the change. He thought out a mild compulsion spell just to be safe.

"Yes sirs, I will sir, even if I is having to punish myself for its. Is you letting me goes, sir?" the elf asked. Severus thought the potion was gone enough now that allowing him to return to his home would not arouse suspicion of the elf acting too strangely.

"Milly, take him away. Thank you," he said, trying to be nice to the elf. This gave him something to think about, a lead. He was looking for some kind of book, and as far as the elf knew, it wasn't directly to target Harry, just evidently to cause trouble. Severus needed to compose himself and for the moment, focus on the match ahead, if he could manage a day of some seeming of normality.

*****Harry*****

Harry hoped he could catch the snitch and end it before it started to rain. He glanced around the stands while Oliver was still giving his pep talk. Yes, his father was there. He knew his father would be hoping for a Slytherin win, but just maybe he was proud of the way Harry played too. He acted like he was anyway. Across the field, Harry could see the Slytherins in a similar huddle. He could just make out the very blond hair of Draco Malfoy, the smallest player by far on the team. "But we've got better _people_ on our brooms," Harry caught Wood saying and resolved to listen to him. "And thank you, Harry, for the loan of your spare broom. It might just be the difference we need. And, I think I can convince my parents to get me a Nimbus after we win the Cup this year. But Harry, a quick win would still be appreciated, with their Chasers on those Nimbuses. And Chasers, try to exploit any weakness you see, especially if it's Draco Malfoy. Show him that being a Chaser is more than just having a rich father, alright?"

Oliver had arranged to sort of watch Slytherin's practice to see who would be playing what position, but it wasn't like no one else could be on the grounds when one team was practicing, so it wasn't actually cheating. Harry wasn't surprised that his friend had chosen Chaser. He liked being part of a team, and being a seeker was more set apart than the rest, out of the rest of the game.

Moments and a count down by Madame Hooch later, and they were in the air. Harry canvased the field from far above, lapping around the court and keeping track of the Slytherin Seeker, Terence Higgs. Terence had been the seeker last year too, and Harry hadn't thought he was the most talented of the school's seekers, but it wouldn't pay to underestimate an opponent.

Playing seeker, he didn't really follow the game much, but it seemed like the Slytherin brooms were helping them, or maybe their players were just good, "Bringing it to forty points to ten, Slytherin. Didn't think little Malfoy had anything in him except money to buy brooms for the whole team, which sounds like cheating but I don't get to- Just reporting the facts, Professor!" Lee Jordan got out, though Harry couldn't actually see Professor McGonagall genuinely minding about that kind of talk about the Slytherins too much, she wouldn't want the announcing to get too out of hand. And she had gotten him a broom last year, after all, so Jordan couldn't complain too much.

Harry felt the first rain drops, slightly annoyed. But- there it was, the snitch. He saw it just has he had to roll away from a bludger, probably swung at him from an opposing beater because he'd stopped circling in his search and had made himself an easy target. Higgs was well on the other side of the field. Harry turned his eyes and quickly found the snitch again, not far off. Even if Higgs followed him now, no broom in the world could beat that short trip. Harry reached his hand out a moment later and grasped the fluttering ball tightly.

The team landed just after he did, ruffling his hair and shouting. Harry loved being part of a team, the acceptance of his teammates. Harry smiled, clutching the struggling ball in his fists. It was the start of a promising quidditch season for Gryffindor, he thought. In walking back to the castle, he caught a glimpse of his father, who did not _look_ unhappy at least. Harry's thoughts turned to his friends and fellow Gryffindors, who were no doubt planning a party. The twins were probably halfway to the kitchens already to sneak up food, and it promised to be a fun evening.

*****Severus****

Severus massaged his forehead, preparing himself for another sleepless night, or at least for the rest of it. There had been another attack, on a student this time. He hadn't even had time to consider the ramifications of the mysterious book that the house elf had told him about, and now there was a larger piece to consider. Penelope Clearwater. Severus had thought she was a bright enough girl, if a bit vain. On the whole though, she was a bland, direction-following Ravenclaw prefect. Perhaps if she had been minding herself as she should have been instead of standing in the middle of the hallway looking at her damn reflection in a pocket mirror. Flitwick said that she had checking in at end of her patrol, but was missing from the midnight bed check spell that the wise little professor had in place, so she had probably been caught heading back to the dorm after seeing Flitwick. Severus always made his fifth year prefects patrol in a pair, even if it meant they held the duty twice as often as the other houses. Perhaps student patrols needed to be abandoned altogether for the time being, and additional charms could be placed over portrait holes. He would have to bring it up with the other Heads of Houses.

Severus reviewed information about the attacks that he had gathered. A boy and a girl had been petrified at the school almost fifty years ago, but no cause was identified at the time, and once recovered, the students didn't remember anything about the attack. Later that year, another girl was killed, with no traces of what caused the death, but somehow a young Rubeus Hagrid was blamed along with some beast of his. Of course, the Dark Lord was a student at the time, and he had most likely simply used the Killing Curse on the poor girl. There was a simple to determine magical cause of otherwise symptomless death, but none that he could think of for petrification, even from some strange magical beast. Thus far, his research had been fruitless.

*****Ginny*****

It was very dark when Ginny came to herself with a headache and sore side, long after curfew, she was sure. Where was she? Had she been walking around in her sleep? Did she fall and hit her head? She had a strong feeling that she didn't want to see Madame Pomfrey. What if they thought something was wrong with her and sent her home? She must have fallen asleep and walked here. She'd heard of sleep walking before, and didn't think it was that big of a deal. She'd stayed for a long time in the common room, even though she hadn't felt comfortable during the post-quidditch win celebration. The last thing she remembered was being in her bed, writing to Tom in her diary, and she often fell asleep like that. She must have just sleep walked after that, restless from the excitement in the common room. If something was wrong with her, she could describe it to Tom, and he'd tell her to go to the Hospital Wing if she really needed it, but she was sure it was nothing to worry about.

 **A/N: It's been hard to stick to writing and power through these chapters, but I want to because of my wonderful reviewers! Over 200 review now, and almost 100,000 words!**

 **So, since Harry wasn't in the hospital wing, Colin Creevy wasn't sneaking around at night. In fact, with Harry's ability, Colin hasn't seen much of Harry at all. Poor, misguided kid- but at least he won't spend most of his first year in the wizarding world petrified- (I always wondered how he got to go ahead into second year). But, the beast still wanted its victim, and poor Penelope Clearwater just happened to be making her rounds. Poor Percy as well.**

 **Also, I'm working under the assumption that basilisk petrification had not been documented before, because they are super rare, and how likely is it to see the thing indirectly and then not just get killed by it anyway? Surely if a snake creature had been documented to cause petrification, someone in cannon would have figured it out sooner?**


	22. Chapter 22 Dueling Club

Chapter 22- Dueling Club

*****Harry*****

Harry looked around the history class and found that everyone was paying as little attention as he was. Even Hermione was scribbling away at something that he didn't think was related to history class. In the days after the attack on a student, a Ravenclaw prefect, the castle was becoming more tense, and Harry barely got to see his father at all.

His father wouldn't let Harry stay behind after class anymore, because he wanted him to walk in a group with all of the other students. So, they hadn't really had a full conversation since the attack. Harry maybe could have visited him in their dungeon rooms if he brought at least Ron and Hermione with him, but he didn't really want to be with his friends when he was with his dad, and he didn't know if his father would even like him walking around with just the Ron and Hermione.

With seeing his father so little in the weeks after Halloween, Harry was especially excited with the announcement of the dueling club, silently hoping that his father would be the instructor, or perhaps teaching with Professor Flitwick, who everyone was saying was a dueling champion, because it probably took two instructors to teach dueling. Harry was privately convinced that his father could do at least as well as their charms professor.

When Harry and his friends went the Great Hall at the prescribed time, there was someone Harry did not expect. _Gilderoy Lockheart_. If Harry had been alone, he might have turned around right then. Harry had been doing the bare minimum in that class for months. He had enjoyed defense class more his first year, even with the boring, evil teacher, Quirrell, who had wanted to kill him. Since the first disaster of a practical lesson with the pixies, all of the classes had been strictly going over Lockheart's books.

To make it worse, going over his books sometimes included dramatic readings and reenactments, with an unwilling Harry as a participant. At least the man was only trying to kill him when he was supposed to be some vampire or something. Even while 'acting' in them, Harry didn't pay attention enough to learn much. And his father wouldn't care too much what grades Harry made in that class anyway, since he thought Lockheart was rubbish, so Harry couldn't bring himself to care.

"Ugh, can't we ever get away from this guy? Oh, your dad's here too though. Now that should be entertaining, watching him crush Lockheart in seconds. Pity it's not Flitwick with him so it's be actually interesting," Ron said. Harry turned to were Ron was facing, and he did see his father. Harry smiled and waved, and his dad actually waved back.

"I think this will be quite interesting," Hermione put in.

Ron sighed, "Hermione, you're not still on Lockheart being the greatest in the world are you?"

"Not- necessarily. There hasn't been enough evidence either way. It's a lot of information to compile, but there's definitely some truth behind his books. I've been digging, and of the ones I've researched so far, the major actions described- removing banshees and vampires in these cases, definitely happened," she whispered with the boys leaning in close.

"However, no reliable eye witnesses can confirm that it was Professor Lockheart to do it. I've tried to contact some of the people he mentions in his books, and they seem to not exist, or at least the owls return with my messages still attached. I've only gotten a reply from two people, and both were very grateful to Professor Lockheart, but admit that they didn't actually see him when he was supposedly there, only a while afterwards."

"So, maybe he lied about all of it like we said?" Run butted in.

"But it _happened_. All of his books happened as far as I can tell. Like I said, I'm nowhere near done researching. But _someone_ had to do those things. And if _you_ did something like that, you wouldn't just let someone else write a book and take credit, _would you?_ " Hermione hissed.

"Erm- no. But I still don't think he could have done it all-"

"So, we watch him today, in action," Hermione whispered. "If he can't carry on a duel, that's more reason to doubt him," Hermione concluded. Harry thought she had a good plan there, though he doubted Lockheart would show them much actual spell work, and would probably just prance around like in class. "Now shh, I want to learn," Hermione silenced them as if _she_ hadn't been the one doing all of the talking. Lockheart was just starting to introduce Harry's dad, as if they all hadn't had him for a teacher for longer than Lockheart.

Ron actually laughed when Harry's dad 'disarmed' Professor Lockheart, smashing him into a wall. To be fair, he did also remove Lockheart's wand, but Harry was sure he could have done that with less force. Harry glanced as his other friend and saw her thoughtfully frowning and biting her lip. From knowing Hermione, Harry suspected that she wished she was able to take notes

Lockheart went on about how the spell had been obvious and he had just _allowed_ it to happen, but Harry hoped that no one else was buying his talk. Harry's dad looked somehow both furious and bored, but Harry wasn't sure that everyone else would notice. His dad mostly kept to the back of the room when Lockheart started pairing people off. Lockheart partnered Ron with Seamus and Harry with Hermione.

"So, what do you think?" Harry asked Hermione as they tried to find a place away from the other pairs.

"Not promising," Hermione said through tight lips, "The spell is a very good one though, and it was nice to see it demonstrated. I've read about that one of course. I don't believe it _usually_ throws people like that, but your father is very powerful, Harry. And I don't think he likes the professor," she added quietly. Of course, they'd all known that months ago, after the Flourish and Blotts incident.

Harry and Hermione traded off casting the spell. Hermione managing it just one try before Harry did, but Harry's jostled Hermione enough that she fell to the ground. It wasn't as dramatic as his father's had been, but Harry hurried over to his friend.

He heard his father's voice near to him now, as Harry helped his friend to her feet, "Perhaps, _Gilderoy_ , you should have suggested a shielding charm to be taught at the same time, rather than leaving the children defenseless from their attackers."

"Quite a good suggestion. I'll leave you to it," Professor Lockheart said nervously. Harry noticed that the man was much more uncomfortable with Harry's father around than he was in class, probably because there was another adult to call him on his failures.

"Nonsense. I would not take that from you. After all, you are their _Defense_ teacher," his father drawled. Harry smiled watching them.

"Well- yes, I suppose."

"After a count of three then, a simple disarming spell that you will block with a shield charm," Harry's father spelled out slowly as if he thought Lockheart was stupid which- he probably did. "One, two, three, Expeliarmus!" his father cast aloud for their benefit, thought Harry knew that he normally never spoke when he did magic.

Harry watched Lockheart when his father cast the spell. The man has started wiggling his wand madly and muttering something when his father was counting, and he dropped his wand on his own just as Harry's father got to 'three.' The man screamed before he was even hit, and he went sailing into the wall again. This time he was slower to rise and had to put more effort into smiling.

"Yes- well, I was trying for a very- complex shield charm. In my line of work, only the strongest will do, and those take time to work, you know. Good show though, Severus. Speed is a quality that has _some_ merit when you can't rely on raw power," he said quickly.

"A simple 'Protego' would work fine, if you would like to try again. For the children's benefit of course," he hissed as all eyes watched their potions master. Harry knew his father was good, but he mostly just saw him brew and occasionally summon something, but his father didn't use magic for every little thing.

Now though, he was really impressive. Even if Harry didn't think much of Lockheart, his father was still defeating another adult wizard like it was nothing.

"No, no. I've had too much spotlight for the moment. You know that's not me. I get too much attention already, more than I deserve for my good deeds and my smile. Perhaps young Harry would like to help his father demonstrate?"

Harry automatically took a step back, but looked up at his father who was even closer now. His father looked at Harry and said, "I think an older student, one more familiar with the spells would be more suited for display. Miss Farley?" his father led an older Slytherin witch to the stage. "Are you ready? I will afford you the same time as your defense professor- after three…"

The witch blocked the spell with little difficulty, saying 'Protego,' though Harry did think that his father didn't try as hard against the girl. They switched positions, the girl casting and his father defending, and Harry's father easily batted the spell away.

"Of course," he said, "In an actual duel, spells would be cast _silently_ and no one would be counting down in warning, and more than one opponent is likely. But, I'm sure your great Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, Gilderoy Lockheart has told you all much about real life fighting experiences," his father taunted, and Harry wasn't sure if Lockheart realized that he was becoming a joke.

The image of Lockheart cowering and dropping his wand would make it much more bearable the next time the man coerced Harry into some stupid 'reenactment' of some great deed that Harry was sure never happened.

Harry and Hermione practiced 'Protego' as well, and this time, Harry was the first of them to get it right, on his second try, though Hermione got it on her third.

As they were walking back to Gryffindor Tower Ron asked a bit smugly, "So, what did the research show?"

"Professor Lockheart- does seem to not have the skills required to perform the feats that his books indicate," Hermione admitted. "But I still have no actual proof, so I'll continue my research," Hermione added. "It was still a very informative lesson," Hermione maintained.

"Yeah, thanks to Harry's dad."

*****Tonks*****

Tonks looked at the boy in front of her. She hadn't seen him much lately, because he was never in Severus's quarters when she dropped by during term, and their meetings hadn't been as frequent after Harry had more or less learned to control his powers. But, so close to the end of term, the child should have definitely looked happier.

Of course, there was a student and cat mysteriously petrified- but was that really scarier than a murderous teacher after an artifact of immortality? What had happened to Hogwarts after she left, really?

"So- kiddo- why so blue?" she asked.

"I'm green," the child protested, waving a green hand. The lesson was on skin pigmentation, which was really just useful to look more tan, or for freckles, even scars, but turning green was admittedly more fun. It could be part of a legitimate forest camouflage, she supposed.

"It's an expression, kid. You look sad."

"Er- no. I was just thinking about how this was like over the summer, and that was fun. That's all."

"Well, come down and see your dad more. I'm there almost every other night- er just for an hour or two."

"With all the- stuff happening at school, my dad doesn't want me going anywhere on my own, especially at night. I just- I mean, it's no big deal, but we haven't really hung out in a while."

"It's okay for that to be a big deal, Harry. You got used to seeing your dad a lot during the summer, and now there's scary stuff happening and you don't get to see him very much," Tonks sympathized, planning out some choice words for Severus later.

"I miss seeing you too," Harry added softly, looking down at his green toes.

"I missed you too, Harry. Now, enough sadness. Go back to being Ron, and don't forget the freckles."

An hour later, Tonks let herself into Severus's rooms, tossing herself onto the couch, but placing her head on Severus's thigh instead of her feet. She got the startled response she intended. She knew he was only pretending to keep reading and ignore her anyway. "Hey," she greeted.

"Yes?" he replied, trying to sound cool, though she could see the alarm, accelerated breathing, and slightly dilated pupils of his dark brown, almost black eyes. It was adorable.

"Harry's lonely," she announced. Severus frowned now.

"You just spent hours with him," Severus protested. "You brought him back to the tower, didn't you?" he asked quickly, parental worry showing through.

"Of course I did. And then I had to walk all the way down here by my little old self."

Severus scowled again, "I would have walked you. I should have walked you both. I apologize."

She laughed, "Severus. I can look after myself. I'm an _auror_ \- well, practically."

"You should still be careful," Severus said again. His concern was rather cute too.

"As I was saying... Harry misses you," she brought up again.

"Did he say that?" Severus asked, looking thoughtful.

"He practically did. Said he missed summer." She let the thought sink in. "It just might be nice to spend some extra holiday time with him. You know- like he was a _normal_ kid with no dark plots and scary things in his life. Just normal twelve-year-old stuff. He'll be all grown up before you know it, Severus. Who knows, he might be taking girls to Hogsmead next year. Then there's career planning. Getting married. Making you a grandfather. Maybe even in that order if you're lucky," she teased.

"Yes, yes. I understand. I will speak to him soon," Severus conceded, looking guilty. Of course he did. She was always right about these things, wasn't she? Or perhaps it was the clumsy leading the blind, Tonks smiled.

*****Severus*****

Severus raked his hand through his hair before he could stop himself. The school had lost another prefect to an attack. A certain sixth year Hufflepuff Annabel Perriss was found in one of the more remote female prefect's bathrooms with one Gryffindor fifth year Andrew Cleveley.

That meant that each house besides Slytherin had been targeted, which would only raise animosity towards his own house, which had already been at higher than normal levels. Of course, if the fool children hadn't been already half-undressed ogling each other in the full length mirror, wands nowhere in sight, they might have been less vulnerable to an attack. If they'd been any closer to the still running bathtub, they might have drowned instead of merely soaking the entire corridor.

Severus frowned thinking of Penelope Clearwater with her mirror, wondering if there was more of a connection than teenage obsession with appearance. And one of the attacks from decades ago had also been in a bathroom, hadn't it? Worst of all, this attack was mid-afternoon, after classes but before dinner, instead of at night like the other attacks.

The culprit was getting bolder, and they were barely closer to finding him- her- it. This would give him enough cause for demanding thorough searches of student quarters, but that likely couldn't be completed before break, as there were only a few days left of the term. Winter break. That reminded Severus that he should make arrangements. He had been- neglectful, and it was time to remedy that.

*****Severus*****

"Harry? Just a minute," Severus called, holding his son for a moment as he brought up his potion.

The other students left, but Severus was sure that the other members of the little trio would wait for Harry. "Harry, have you already signed up to stay at Hogwarts for the- holidays?" Severus asked when the room was empty.

"Yes sir, when Professor McGonagall put up the list," the boy replied.

How should he word this? "Harry, with the current attacks, I believe it is best if we go _away_ from the castle for the holidays. I may need to visit the castle for a few Head of House duties, but most of my students will also be leaving for the holidays."

At least it would be easy to get the child away from the castle for a few weeks and buy Severus more time to get this straightened out. The most recent attack hadn't really provided any new information, and the recovery potion would still need a few more months.

"Oh- you- have a house? I mean, since we spent the summer at the castle, I just assumed…" Harry said.

"It wasn't fit to be lived in at the time, and it didn't seem needed, but I have been allowed to ask Milly to help with restorations, and she assures me that it will be habitable before the last day of term. I wanted to give you warning that you will be leaving the castle."

"But- but what about Ron and Hermione?" Of course the child would be worried about his friends. But the boy needed time to just be a child and relax. To relax with his father and no other worries. Right?

"Harry, with Dobby's warning, we must consider that you may be the sole focus of the attacks, and they may even stop in your absence, _not_ that you have any fault or control over the situation," Severus suggested. It was a Slytherin move, and Severus regretted it almost immediately, but he had to protect his son's safety foremost.

From whatever Lucius planned, his Slytherins would be safe as well, if only because Lucius would fear their parents. Most of his students would be leaving the castle anyway. Severus had tried to convince the Weasleys to not leave the country or to take their children with them, but they hadn't seen their oldest son in years and trusted that nothing bad would happen with Albus present. Severus simply did not hold the same assurance.

"Oh. Okay then, yeah, I understand," the boy said, and Severus thought he even looked happy.

"Thank you. Be ready to leave on the last day of term," Severus instructed. The child was smiling and seemed happy enough. Severus thought back that he hadn't spent enough happy time with the boy recently and resolved to do better over the holidays when there would be no imminent disaster at every opportunity.

 **A/N: Thank you again! Please review to let me know how you liked it. I never liked a ghost being petrified and revived just like humans, so I went a different route for the next attack. And Ernie wouldn't be hiding from Harry here, because at least for now, his secret is still safe.**

 **Also, we now over 100,000 words! I say 'we' because I would never stick with this without your support, and I am so often inspired by reviewers, so I love suggestions. Please review and tell me what you thought. I received feedback that shorter paragraphs were easier to read on this site, so I made them shorter here. Let me know if that helps.**


	23. Chapter 23 Spinner's End

Chapter 23- Away from Hogwarts

*****Harry*****

Since Harry's best friends were staying at Hogwarts, Harry didn't ask to take the train with the majority of students. Hermione hadn't said anything, but Harry knew she was disappointed that he wasn't staying for the holidays. Harry wondered if she was only staying because she thought Harry and Ron were. Of course, Ron still was, because his parents were already out of the country, and he didn't seem to mind Harry leaving too much, and wished him a great time. Ron was always pushing him to spend more time with his dad, and Hermione and Ron would be fine with each other for company, and the other Weasleys besides.

Harry declared, "Spinner's End," as clearly as he could as he stood in the fireplace still holding his father's hand. When his father stepped confidently out of the fireplace, Harry figured he must have been successful with the floo, but he couldn't say that he liked the look of the place they were walking into. It looked small and cramped, though it might have been as large as Privet Drive just- different. It was lit by a large number of candles hanging from the ceilings and walls, more or less like every wizarding place Harry had been, but it lacked the large windows of the Burrow and most wizarding stores Harry had been to.

The room was covered with books on all of the walls, rather like his dad's office, but the books all looked old, instead of just some of them looking old. There was an ancient looking sofa and armchair, and a table that looked a bit crooked. But everything was clean at least, very freshly cleaned from the look of it. Harry glanced back at his father and noticed the man's worried face. He cared what Harry thought of the place. Harry smiled encouragingly at him.

"It's- not been occupied for some time. I plan on having new furniture soon. Dor- Miss Tonks has made some selections that she- convinced me to order."

"I know you call her Dora," Harry supplied. "I think she likes it. I think it's nice that she cares about your furniture," Harry said.

"Well- yours as well. Though- I thought you might pick everything for your room, there is already a new bed, because the one there before wasn't fit to be slept on."

Like his father had said, there wasn't much of anything else in Harry's room except Harry's bed and now his school trunk, but the bed was very soft and comfortable with a thick red blanket on time. It was pretty much just like his bed in their rooms in the dungeons, and better than his smaller bed in the tower. Everything was so much better than what he'd grown up with, the thin mat in the cupboard, Harry could sleep on just about anything. The cot he had when he stayed at the Weasleys' was fine. Harry went over to the window and opened it, knowing Hedwig would find her way there.

His father had agreed to take the owl cage with them, but said Hedwig wouldn't tolerate the floo as well as the two snakes would. Harry had assured him that Hedwig would find him when he told her he was leaving, and his father had agreed to take her cage along. Godric was going to stay with Salazar in his dad's room here, because as much as they were cranky (mostly Salazar) and protested, Harry didn't think either would want to be left alone.

"Thanks. It's great," Harry said, looking around the small, empty room before following his father out of it. "So- is this the house you grew up in?" he asked.

"Yes," his father said briefly.

"Am I staying in your old room?"

"Yes, you are," he replied, grabbing a book from a shelf in the front room and sitting on the ancient couch. Harry suspected that he was just looking for something to do and grabbed a book at random. Harry didn't ask about the room his father was staying in. It was probably his grandparents' room, and that didn't seem like a good topic for discussion, from what Harry had been told and guessed.

"Can I go look around the town?" he asked hopefully. "I'm used to wandering around on my own, and I'll be safe," he promised. When everyone was so tense, and when he spent so much of it just in Gryffindor Tower.

"There's not much to see," his dad said slowly, "It's an old town that was prosperous long before my time, perhaps when my- father grew up in this same house. I doubt there are any more children in town now than there were in my day, and it isn't really a nice place to venture alone. Milly sent food for the evening, but I suppose I will venture out to a store this evening or tomorrow and you would be welcome to come," his father offered.

"Isn't there anywhere nice around? Somewhere you went as a kid?" Harry prodded, not liking the idea of being stuck inside the house for so long. He missed the summer, with the freedom of when Hogwarts was empty, and he was able to go to the quidditch pitch whenever he wanted so long as he went with his father or Milly. It was especially nice when Ron had visited. And when Draco had come too.

His father finally said, "There's a park, though it isn't much to look at. It's- where I met your mother." Now that was interesting to Harry. "We would meet there sometimes even when we were far too old to enjoy the place for itself. She lived further on the opposite side of the park, in a somewhat nicer neighborhood than this," his father went on. Harry hang on every word.

His mother had lived near here? Of course it made sense, because his father had mentioned that he'd known Aunt Petunia too. "Really?" was all Harry managed, throat tight.

His father sighed, "Give me a moment to change into muggle clothes, and I'll take you." Harry hadn't even had to ask.

*****Severus*****

For an essentially muggle-raised wizard, Severus never felt entirely comfortable in muggle clothes. He stuck often to black, deciding it must work together, and occasionally purchased combinations placed on mannequins in stores to avoid the ridiculous combinations that wizards like Arthur Weasley put together. It didn't help that his witch mother had dressed him laughably as a child (though admittedly part of that was searching for clothes that fit the skinny boy in the second hand store). And his father had never cared what Severus looked like. He hadn't cared about his son at all after his first signs of magic, after his mother had told the man everything.

Severus tugged lightly at the patched elbows of his brown coat. It was a fairly new, expensive garment, so Severus grudgingly trusted that it was nice. The shop girl had insisted was classic fashion and a purely decorative patch rather than a sign of worn out clothing. He would put up with the ridiculous clothing to go out into the muggle world and make the boy happy. And if Dora were there, she'd tell him he looked nice in a different colour for a change, even if it was just brown instead of black.

Severus hadn't really intended to leave the house by the front door at all, intending to acquire anything needed including food from the magical world, perhaps just seeing if he could manage to have Hogwarts kitchen food delivered for each meal. But, he could see how that could make Harry feel trapped in the dim and less than pleasant house.

Walking to the old park though, Harry was so excited that he would walk in front of Severus more than behind him, even though he didn't know where they were going. Severus was glad that the streets and walkways were clear, even if snow lingered on lawns. Despite living in a dungeon in Scotland, Severus preferred warmth and was not a lover of winter weather. He was regretting neglecting to place warming charms on both of them before leaving the house and wondering if it was worth the slight breach in good judgement to do it now. The boy seemed pleased and not bothered by the cold, so Severus decided he could manage as well.

The park didn't look much different from what he remembered as a child, perhaps a bit shabbier, though he hadn't been there in the winter since before starting Hogwarts. In the year that they were ten though, Severus and Lily played there any time of year, so long as the weather wasn't bad enough that Lily's parents kept her inside. Sometimes those days were the best, when he'd gather the courage to show up on her door step, and he parents were always so nice.

Severus tried to really look at the park around him. Snow had long since been trampled by little feet, so at least someone still enjoyed the old place. Trees were about the same, large enough trees that even thirty years wouldn't mean much to them. The swing set even looked the unchanged, though there was a bit more equipment around it. Severus hadn't been there since the summer after his fifth year, when he spent hours hoping that Lily would show up and forgive him, even if only because she was as bored during the summer as he was. She didn't come to the park, and he didn't try the next year. He was nearly a Death Eater by the summer after his sixth year anyway.

Looking at the place now, he wasn't as sad as he would have expected to be. It didn't hurt his heart too much to look at those swings, those trees. Perhaps because he wasn't alone.

"Can you tell me about coming here?" Harry asked quietly from his side. Severus realized that they hadn't spoken in several long minutes.

"Your mother loved the swings the most. She would jump off at the highest point and float down, I suspect with some subconscious magic involved, but it was too accurate for me to deem accidental. She loved the feeling of almost flying. I was surprised that she was never the biggest broom enthusiast at school. It was not that she was untalented, because as I recall, she was skilled at everything she attempted. She did enjoy the little bits of wizarding society that muggles got right- brooms, pointed hats, affinity for cats, cauldrons and wands."

"And- the house she grew up in wasn't that far away? Could you take me to see it?" Harry asked casually, though Severus could tell the question weighed on him greatly.

"Of course," he replied, turning to walk towards the road again. He might as well do everything at this point. It wasn't like the child didn't deserve it. The park was in a nice enough neighborhood, closer to the old Evans's house than his own, or Lily's parents might not have let her and Petunia come that way alone when Petunia was only eleven and Lily nine, so it wasn't much further to walk.

"The brick wasn't painted then," Severus commented when they reached the house and he pointed at a modest size one story of painted grey brick and a natural wood-finished door. His house on Spinner's End was larger but nowhere near as nice.

"My- grandparents, what were they like?"

"Robert and Anne Evans were very kind," Severus started, wondering if Harry had even heard his grandparents' names. He would have thought certainly, given Petunia- but he wouldn't take anything as certainty anymore. What should he tell the boy? "They adored Lily and were fascinated by everything magical. They never would have wanted to make Petunia feel inadequate or jealous, though I suppose that is difficult to avoid. Your friend, Miss Granger, is perhaps fortunate to be an only child and not have to worry about that conflict," Severus had of course done some investigating into the Weasley and Granger families when they became Harry's closest friends, but that was an aspect of muggleborn life that Severus had not considered seriously since he was a child.

"Did you know them well?" the boy asked. Severus couldn't blame the boy for wanting more information.

"Fairly well. I would come here sometimes, particularly when Lily wouldn't come to the park. Lily brought me home once, early on, when Petunia had threatened to tell that Lily had talked to a stranger. Young Lily decided that if I met her parents, I wouldn't be a stranger. I didn't want Lily to tell her parents anything about magic that I had told her, especially not that I could do magic too. I didn't think- they would take it well, but they were surprisingly receptive when Minerva came to explain the letter as she does for muggleborns."

"Professor McGonagall was already a professor when you were a kid?" the boy interrupted.

"She was already Head of Gryffindor and Deputy Headmistress in fact. I am not _that_ old," he said lightly. It was definitely a hazard to work at an institution where most of his peers remembered his as a student.

"Er- how old are you? And when's your birthday? We didn't celebrate it! I can't believe I didn't ask sooner. I'm sorry! You're so nice on my birthday." The child was needlessly panicking.

"Adults don't- celebrate their birthdays as commonly as children or with as much enthusiasm. I choose not to celebrate mine. However, to satisfy your curiosity, it is January ninth, and I am nearly thirty-three. Now, I believe you were asking about your grandparents?" he deflected, anything to get the topic away from him, even slightly. The child was easy to transition away from any sensitive topic, even if the other topic wasn't much more comfortable.

"So- can you tell me more stuff about them?" the child asked. He probably didn't know enough about them to know what questions to ask.

"They both worked- I confess I do not know doing what exactly. Your grandmother would always say that she wished she could stay at home and do more with the house. She did all the cooking and kept a clean house anyway, though Robert would offer to help, he would always be refused. She was always busy, but very kind. I- went with them to Diagon Alley to get my supplies the first year. Mother sent her with some money for my things, but I- knew even then," Severus swallowed thickly, "That Mrs. Evans slipped more in, to stretch the money further than it should have, and I was ashamed but too grateful to mention it. And I knew they couldn't be too well off either, but they had such great kindness."

Severus tried to think of small, happy things, "Mr. Evans, he loved technology- always doing things to his car. He was a bit like Arthur Weasley except that he knew what he was doing with the mechanics of muggle objects. The summer that I met Lily, some Americans were working on landing on the moon, and he loved every moment of it. Some other muggles had been to space before, but no one had been to the moon. He specifically asked me to come over and watch it with them on the television when it happened. He got a color television just for it, though Lily said Petunia had been begging for one for years. There wasn't really much color to see the broadcast, but he loved it."

"When Lily got her letter and supplies that mentioned Astronomy, she said he asked Professor McGonagall lots of questions and was quite disappointed that wizards hadn't used magic somehow to explore space, or even to cure muggle diseases. He told Lily that she would just have to change all that. And he truly believed that she would. They would have been very good grandparents- would have looked after you themselves if they could." _Damn Petunia_ , practically spitting on their graves by treating their grandson like that.

"So they died when she was still in school?" Harry asked quietly. They had talked briefly about the car crash before.

"Lily missed school for a week for arrangements. I- arrived at the funeral afraid I would be thrown out, but she didn't say anything. We-" his throat was dry, "hadn't spoken for a while by that point, but they had meant a lot to me growing up as well, and I suppose she respected that. I remember that Petunia looked at her sister as little as possible, and glared at me whenever she thought I wasn't looking." She probably hadn't even paid attention to the service.

"Where- are they buried?" Harry whispered, "Is my mum there too? I mean, I know someone's not really there after they're dead but-" the boy fumbled through words.

"Your mother was buried in Godric's Hollow where your house was. Her parents were- at the small church in the town. The only church in the town, really. It," he hesitated, "is not too far if you would like to go," he offered. He hoped the boy wouldn't ask to see Lily's grave, not today at least. Guilt was too strong there, along with everything else he didn't want to revisit. His short stint in Azkaban had kept him from the funeral, but it might have been better that way anyway. He had tortured himself by visiting far too often in those early years.

"Yes, please," the child answered, as Severus turned and led them the few blocks away. They had spent too long standing outside of a stranger's house by then anyway.

"Are your parents buried there too?" the child asked after some time of walking in silence.

"No. They are both in a non-affiliated cemetery," he said, for lack of a better phrase. "They didn't go to church. My mother did and took me when I was young but not- not for many years." Not since he'd shown signs of magic. Not since his father's 'rowdiness' turned worse. Not since she didn't want to go out in public for fear of someone noticing the bruises. But Harry didn't need to know all of that, even if ten years of the childhood might not have been much different than Severus's, the rest of it would be.

"Was my mum religious?" the boy asked curiously.

"As a child she was. I don't know about later. It- wasn't something we talked about," for as long as they knew each other, there was so much that they had never talked about. "I know she didn't take well to the common beliefs that witches were evil, and Petunia would say just right the things to upset her. Her mother would always say that magic was a gift and was only evil if she did bad things with it."

"The Dursleys wanted everyone to think they went to church, but really they just got dressed up and went out to a big lunch on Sundays," the boy said. He evidently wasn't invited to go along. Of course not.

There wasn't a gate around the cemetery, so he didn't have to disturb anything to lead Harry in. He found the site easily even if he had only been there the once. It wasn't a day he'd forget. Besides the dates of their births and death, there was written only:

'Robert and Anne Evans'

'Loving Husband and Wife'

'Father and Mother'

It was so generic, so utterly inadequate to separate them from anyone else put there. But teenagers weren't supposed to have to devise meaningful words of wisdom to commemorate dead parents. As much as he didn't like her, even Petunia was only nineteen at the time. She had lost her parents too, and still much too young for it.

The couple had a large, shared headstone. There was no time when one was gone without the other, and he supposed it was fitting. It was probably the way that they would have wanted to go, except for their children to be so much older. Severus watched Harry stare silently, finally touching the stone, and then leaning down and touching the grass. Neither wizard said anything as they looked. Severus couldn't think of anything meaningful to say as he wondered what the boy was thinking about the grandparents he never got to meet.

"I'm ready to go home if you are," Harry said quietly after some time.

"Take my arm," Severus instructed. There was no one around to see them, and by this point, they were out further than Severus wished to walk after those sights. Harry knew what to expect from apparition now anyway. The uncomfortable squeeze of apparition later, and they were in the shabby home at Spinner's End again.

"Thank you for showing me all of that today," the boy said, already smiling again inside the dingy old house. "Are you alright?" He was a perceptive little thing, for a young Gryffindor.

"I'm fine. Perhaps you would like to take some time to unpack," Severus suggested. It wasn't so that he wouldn't break down in front of the boy. Severus actually was doing- somewhat better than that. He was coping better than he had expected at least. Harry scampered off to his room with only one glance back.

Severus settled on the sofa, staring at the fireplace. It had been a- draining day. It made him wish that Dora would come through his floo to invade his space with her militant cheerfulness. But she wouldn't even know that she could, would she? Severus had only gotten the floo connected and warded to the three of them the day before. He could have sent an owl- his mail hadn't been worth intercepting for years, but he almost never sent any mail out of habit. He could have left a note in his rooms, and she'd have shown up and seen it soon enough. Severus could go back to their quarters now and leave a note- unless she had already stopped by that evening, found it empty, and decided not to visit again… which, even his paranoia didn't find likely. If Nymphadora Tonks was anything, it was persistent.

"Harry?" Severus called. "Will you be alright if I go out for just a bit, to tell Miss Tonks that we're here?"

"Tell her I said hi! And I'll be fine," Harry called back. The boy had a happy disposition somehow, through all the child had been through, after everything they had talked about that day. And his wards were certainly strong enough.

Severus tossed in some floo powder before he changed his mind. He'd look silly if he didn't go now after telling Harry. "1312 West Beaks St. E20" he said inside the floo.

*****Severus*****

"Severus?" Dora called, running into the room, wand held loosely in her hand. She wore a pink dressing gown and her big fluffy slippers. She was in her base form except for the short, pink hair, he noted.

"How'd you know?" He asked, brushing off imaginary soot.

"Mum and Dad know they aren't welcome to waltz in without owling first." Severus didn't really come barging in either. Except that first time to come see her and kiss her. Did she mind that he barged in? She was smiling at least. And she made herself welcome in _his_ quarters often enough. He assumed from her statement that only he and her parents could enter her flat- he hoped so at least.

"I just- wanted to know that Harry and I left for my- house today, in case you- needed, or wanted to floo us," he fumbled through. She would have known that already from previous conversations. He was babbling like an idiot. "You just need to say 'Spinner's End.' It's the only house connected to the floo system on the street." That was better, barely.

"Are you okay, Severus?" she said, taking his hands, practically forcing him to look into those beautiful grey-blue eyes. "I doubt it's nice to be back there." He haad- alluded to his unhappy childhood before.

"It's not. But Harry seems happy," he murmured. It didn't take much to make the boy happy.

"Oh? What did the two of you do today?" she prompted kindly, delicately, rubbing his finders with hers.

"Such a cheery day," he almost laughed, "I took his to the park- where I first met Lily. And to the outside of her old house, and to his grandparent's graves. Well, two of them- her parents. They were kind to me as a child," he got out. Talking about a dead woman he once-might have loved- didn't seem proper protocol with his- girlfriend if that's what she was. But Dora didn't seem to care, judging from the way she wrapped arms tightly around his waist, a warm, comforting hug.

"Then you did very well by Harry today. I'm proud of you. Is he doing okay?" she asked. Her instincts were better than his.

"He is. He's happy. But he- doesn't even know what people he missed the chance to have. They weren't old, even for muggles. They'd have raised him or at least made sure Petunia did a real job of it. He wouldn't have needed me," he whispered the last part.

"He'll always need you, Severus," she reassured him. "And after the day you had, you wanted to see me?" she asked. Of course he did. He always wanted to see her these days.

"Yes," he said. If his eyes were a bit wet, well she probably wouldn't judge him for it. When she looked up at him, her eyes looked a bit damp too. And then her lips were so soft against his. They were quite good at kissing each other, he thought, or maybe it was just that she was good at making him feel not- damaged, or at least not irreparably so.

By the time he flooed back to his house and checked on Harry, the boy was already asleep, smiling. The boy's owl hooted softly as if in greeting from its cage in the corner but not wanting to wake its young master up. Severus hadn't seen the animal much, as it lived in the owlery, but he'd swear there was more going on in its head, more than the average post owl. Of course, this was the boy that had named a snake _Godric_ , so he shouldn't be surprised by much anymore. "Goodnight," he whispered to his sleeping son, hoping to find a decent night of sleep for himself as well, trying to think of only the happiest bits from his childhood and also of the strange, sweet witch who cared if he was doing alright.

 **A/N: It has been really hard to stick with writing lately, but I've got something down now! Please let me know what you think! I had thought that I would zoom through the break from school in one chapter and be back to the action at school, but more things came to mind that I wanted to slow down and write. Please review and let me know what you think!**


	24. Chapter 24 Winter Days

Chapter 24- Winter Days

Harry seemed to be happy at Spinner's End, though Severus couldn't imagine it being much fun for a child- it certainly hadn't been for him as a boy. On the few occasions that business would call him to slip away to the castle, Severus would call Milly to take his place, but then Harry couldn't even leave the house with the elf in the muggle neighborhood. Still, it was much safer for the boy than at Hogwarts, though the castle had been quiet with the students away- no new attacks at least.

Nearly all of his Slytherins had left the castle, but he had to make sure to check on the ones remaining. There were a few older students that he wasn't very concerned with, a fifth year and two seventh years staying primarily to study for their OWLs and NEWTs respectively, but he also had Draco and his little goons, Crabbe and Goyle the youngers.

Severus had never liked or respected their fathers, and the boys were much of the same stock- too dim to do much besides whatever simple instructions they received from their fathers, but not actually overly malicious yet, at least Severus hoped. It was no wonder that they would stay at Hogwarts if Draco did- probably told by their equally dull fathers to just stay around the Malfoy heir.

Though as he thought about it, Severus had been seeing Draco without his little bodyguards increasingly frequently this term, and couldn't help but think back to his discussion with the boy this summer, about the boy trying to think for himself and not just espousing the ideals held by family members, generally Lucius in the boy's case.

Yes, Severus thought that there was definite hope for Draco to fare better from adolescence to adulthood than Slytherins of the generation before. There were too many factors to consider now though, and too much linked to the boy most directly in his care, Harry, the only one related to him by blood.

The days and evenings at Spinner's End were enjoyable, even for Severus. At least in that place, away from the castle, there were no dangerous plots, no crazy house elves. It was certainly the best time he could remember spending in the old house, though he had spent as little of his childhood inside the place as possible, especially after he was nine.

Now, in the evenings, Dora would floo over when she could, and that was quite- pleasant. And he and Harry would play the occasional game of chess, just like they had the summer before. Even simply reading in silence was better with company. Dora often liked to read over his shoulder, or rather, with her head resting _on_ his shoulder, and she seemed to enjoy it, even though he couldn't imagine her discerning much from the dense potions texts he usually selected. Or- perhaps she simply enjoyed their proximity as much as he did, as unfathomable as that still was to him. His reading was much slower in such a configuration with such a great distraction, but also more enjoyable.

The first morning that fresh snow fell at Spinner's End was a thrill for Harry that Severus smiled at watching. One would think that the child hadn't grown up with snow all of his life, to see the wide grin on his face as he formed snowballs with his gloved hands. But perhaps the child hadn't been able to really enjoy it until coming to Hogwarts the winter before.

"Do you wanna-" the boy started uncertainly, "play?" he asked quietly, looking up at Severus with a lumpy snowball in his hands. It was an indulgence Severus couldn't have allowed on school grounds, but- a few snowballs in a muggle town wouldn't hurt, would they? No one of consequence could see them, and Harry was certainly enjoying himself.

"That will be fine," he agreed, if only to see Harry's wide smile turn sneaky as he launched the ball at his father and started running away, haphazardly gathering more snow as he fled. Severus brushed the pulverized flakes away from his coat. He could best the boy easily even without magic, he wagered, a smile creeping onto his face.

Numerous snow balls and two tree limbs full of snow later, Severus sat back in the kitchen handing Harry a second mug of hot chocolate. It was purely medicinal, of course, with the restorative properties of wizarding chocolate after a chill, or Severus wouldn't have indulged in it for himself. Harry enjoyed it, and Severus didn't feel like depriving Harry of any joy these days, when the child clearly had had to little of it. How many happy years would it take to overpower the formative years of neglect? Were these years now even safe and happy enough for the boy? Though smiling and slurping down the hot drink, the boy certainly seemed to be without a care in the world.

*****Harry*****

Christmas morning felt a lot like Harry's last birthday and was just as great. His father was there to wake him up and had gotten his favorite foods ready- probably from Milly in the Hogwarts kitchen, but it was still really nice of his dad. And then there were presents to open just for him. He did miss having Ron around like he had last Christmas, but it was great to spend so much time with his dad without him being so busy. And the evenings when Tonks would come over too were even better.

Settled around his presents, Harry reached first for the messy brown paper-wrapped package that he knew would be Hagrid's. The treacle fudge looked homemade by his large friend, but maybe it would still be edible- at least if Harry let it warm by the fire for a while first. Harry set it carefully aside.

A very nice eagle-feathered quill came next from Hermione. They talked once about how they sometimes missed muggle pens, but Hermione did seem to enjoy a nice quill, a lot more than Harry did at least. Harry had sent her some candy sugar quills that he'd seen when shopping with his father that he hoped she would enjoy, and smiled at the similarity in their thoughts.

Harry was surprised to see a book-shaped gift from Ron, but it made more sense when he saw that it was called, _Flying with the Cannons_ , and was about Ron's favorite quidditch team. Harry didn't really follow professional quidditch, preferring to just play it himself, but he appreciated that his friend wanted him to like the same team. It was a lot nicer than the assortment of sweets that Harry had sent Ron, so he made a note to get something else nice for his friend later, especially because he knew Ron didn't get a lot of pocket money and must have spent a fair amount on the book- or else given Harry one of his own books, which would be really nice too.

There was a Weasley jumper (red this year with a green H to go with his green jumper from the year before which was tighter now) and a plum cake from Mrs. Weasley. Harry put on the jumper immediately. I was really nice to be included in getting a Weasley jumper, almost like he was one of the family. Finally, there were small packages from Professors Dumbledore and McGonagall.

Getting gifts from some of his professors had been a shock on his last birthday. Harry supposed it was because of his father, but it was still really nice of them. Dumbledore had given him the invisibility cloak last Christmas, but that didn't really count since it had been well- since it had been James Potter's. Dumbledore got him sweats again, but this time also some brightly patterned, fuzzy socks. They seemed warm- even if they looked a little strange, but his robes were usually long enough to cover his socks anyway. Professor McGonagall got him some red and gold mittens that he would have to use outside later, though he definitely still appreciated the black gloves that his father had gotten him the year before.

Harry turned to his father when he was done unwrapping his pile. He was past thinking that his father would forget him or just not get him anything. As expected, his father was now holding several packages.

"You are rather difficult to shop for," his father said as if he were apologizing.

"I don't need anything anymore," Harry answered simply. He really didn't. His father got him so many nice things. He didn't even consider clothes to be Christmas presents usually, and Dudley's old clothes and barely enough food was all her had been used to getting from the Dursleys.

"Yes well… that is the hope," his father said, placing the packages next to Harry.

Harry opened a small package he recognized first. More pocket money in a little bag like last year. Even after finding out that he had a vault with lots of gold in his name, he had never quite gotten used to having his own money to spend on whatever he wanted. Of course, his dad seemed to get him whatever he wanted, so he still wasn't exactly sure what he was supposed to be spending pocket money on. Still, it was very generous, especially because the bad was even fuller than the last year.

"Thank you," Harry said, carefully tucking the sack next to him.

Harry grabbed the book shaped package next and unwrapped a book on wizarding dueling. It looked like a very fancy book, "Will there be more meetings of dueling club?" Harry asked.

His father laughed, "I believe Gilderoy had been dissuaded from such an endeavor to retain what is left of his dignity. I thought you might enjoy a competent guide to the art, since your primary defense teacher is rather lacking."

"Thank you," Harry said, flipping through the book. It looked great. There were moving pictures of wizards casting spells and dueling, and Harry wondered why all books didn't have those. Of course sometimes the people in the pictures would run and hide off screen, but it was still really cool.

Finally, Harry reached for the small square package last. His mouth dropped slightly, "More pictures?" he asked, thumbing through the old pictures carefully.

"I found some that included your grandparents," his father said softly. Harry stared at the adults in the picture. He had seen his young mother and young Aunt Petunia before, but not his grandparents. There were several there. He thought his father had been probably taking some of the pictures, because some of them had him in it, and one of Harry's grandparents was missing, taking that picture so little Severus Snape could be in some of them of them too.

Robert Evans didn't have much hair, but what he had was bright red. And he had a beard and mustache. He was… large, but not like Uncle Vernon. He looked very nice. Anne Evans looked like Aunt Petunia, but prettier and happier. She had brown hair that was pinned up on her head in each picture. They all seemed to be from the same day in different poses.

Harry paused longer on the last picture, which had different people in it, who had to be his other grandparents. His dad was just a little kid, two years old at most. His dad looked a lot like his grandfather. The same nose, and the man wore a scowl like his dad sometimes did, though not as often now. Both adults had dark hair.

His grandmother didn't look especially happy either as she looked down at her son. She was very thin and had thick eyebrows. Her back was hunched slightly, and she was very pale. Harry's young father was wide-eyed and staring right at the camera, arm reaching out towards it. He had a lot of dark hair slicked around his little face even then. Harry wondered if he should have looked like that as a little kid. Of course, he didn't really know what he did look like as a little kid, because he would have never been in any of the Dursleys' pictures.

"Eileen and Tobias Snape," his father said quietly. Harry didn't think that he had heard their names before and nodded. "That was before I showed signs of magic, before my father knew that there was such a thing." He cleared his throat, "How about breakfast? Milly sent us quite a selection."

"After you open your presents," Harry insisted, placing the pictures carefully down for now.

Harry liked getting to see his father open his presents, which he hadn't done last year. Most of the gifts seemed to be different types of alcohol from other teachers, but his father also got strange, bright socks from the Headmaster, which his dad didn't seem to really appreciate. And to his father's shock even more than Harry's, a jumper from Mrs. Weasley was waiting for his father as well. His was a solid dark green and didn't have a letter on it. Harry couldn't picture his father actually wearing it, but Harry thought he enjoyed getting it anyway.

Harry's dad said he liked the card and the drawing of Salazar and Godric that Harry had made for him that Tonks had helped him make move, almost like a wizarding photograph, except if you looked at it long enough you could notice a pattern. Ron had suggested a picture, because it's what he had often done for his own parents, and he said mums and dads _had_ to like that sort of thing when their kids made it, no matter how old you got, and even if you were rubbish at drawing. Ron said that Harry was better than him at least, even if neither of them could draw like Dean could.

Tonks would be by later to give her presents in person, because she said it was no fun giving presents if you weren't there to see the person open them. Besides, she was around in the evenings at least half of the time anyway, and Harry enjoyed having her there, and he knew his dad did too. Sometimes it was- sort of like they were a family, kind of like sometimes it was like he was part of the Weasley family. Harry had a lot more people who cared about him now than he thought he'd ever have.

*****Harry*****

Tonks said she loved the card he made her, which had a badger moving on it. It wasn't moving as well as the one she had enchanted for him for his dad, but he was impressed that he had gotten it to work at all, and Tonks told him several times how great it was. He hadn't even gotten Hermione's help. Harry's dad got her a pretty necklace that she really seemed to like. She gave him a kiss on the lips right in front of Harry, though she actually did that a lot, probably more than Mr. and Mrs. Weasley did. Then Tonks had thrust a lumpy package at each of them and clapped her hands until they started opening them.

"They're ice skates- have you ever had them?" Tonks asked excitedly when Harry still couldn't see what he was almost done opening. Tonks was always like that when she was giving gifts- nervous but really excited and could hardly wait for you to open it without talking about what she got for you. She was sitting on the couch (one of the new ones that she had picked out) but was halfway out of her seat watching Harry and his dad open their gifts. She had insisted that they open them at the same time or it would spoil it.

Harry had a pair of blue skates in his hand, and he could see that his father now held a similar but larger pair that was black. Harry shook his head slowly and stared at the skates. He had never had anything like them. Dudley had had some once as a child, and quickly discarded them after falling a couple of times on his first trip out. It wasn't something that Harry would have been allowed to touch even after Dudley outgrew them. And even if Harry snuck them away, he wouldn't have had anywhere to try them out.

"Do _you_ skate, Dora?" Harry's father asked, hint of amusement in his voice. It was difficult to picture the clumsy witch standing on anything as slippery as ice on two little blades of metal. He seemed to be looking very skeptically at the black skates he held though.

" _I can_ ," she huffed, though Harry could tell it was exaggerated for show. "I fall a lot," she said with an honest smile. "But I always get back up. Dad thought it would help me with balance or something like that, but _I_ think it just helped with determination, which is more useful than balance anyway."

"He sounds nice," Harry said, looking up at Tonks. He pictured Tonks's parents being pretty great for her to have grown up so happy and nice.

"Maybe sometime- like next year for Christmas, you'll both come with me and meet my folks," Tonks offered lightly, but Harry could tell that it was an offer that Tonks was feeling nervous suggesting.

"That's be great if they'd want to," Harry said without even thinking. Maybe his dad would think differently, but Harry didn't want to mess up anything with Tonks, and she seemed happy with his response even if she kept glancing at Harry's father.

"Put your skates on then," his father urged instead. "We can make a place for you in the yard so you can practice whenever you like," he said, though he didn't mention anything about skating himself.

"Really?" Harry asked, distracted by his newest gift already as he tore shoes off and shoved his feet into the new skates. Tonks helped him lace them up the right way.

Standing a few minutes later on a slab of ice that Tonks and his dad had made (after putting up some muggle aversion spells just in case), Harry wasn't at all sure how he was supposed to move anywhere without falling. Tonks joined him, though she was just wearing the normal purple shoes that she wore a lot instead of skates. She tried to show him the motions, but ended up falling even more than Harry did.

It was better when Harry's dad made a railing around their make-shift rink, and Harry enjoyed scooting along that. As he got a little better, he tried to keep his hands off of it.

After a lot of pestering, Tonks convinced Harry's dad to stand on the ice and move around a bit, though he refused to leave the railing he had made. Harry was sure that his dad didn't know how to skate either and didn't want to look silly.

Harry didn't think anyone else besides Tonks could have convinced him to even do that much, and his dad even seemed to be enjoying himself, smiling a lot at Tonks and watching Harry skate.

*****Severus*****

Severus looked at the sleeping boy. He looked… like Severus might have as a child of that age, sleeping in this room, if Severus had ever been happy in this room. It did help the idyllic picture that the boy's teeth and nose were not as bad as Severus's had been. It still amazing him that the boy looked so much like him but was still… cute, something Severus had certainly never been. He wondered sometimes why Harry didn't change his appearance, since he could change small things effortlessly at this point according to Dora. The boy rarely used his metamorphmagus abilities at all.

Glancing around the room, Severus saw that he wasn't the only one- or thing- staring at the boy. Silent but wide-eyed alert, the boy's owl stared at its young owner, sometimes turning its head to glance at Severus. He was certain that it was a strange owl.

Severus had never owned an owl which was… unusual for a grown wizard. When he was young, he couldn't have afforded one, and later as an essentially friendless Death Eater turned spy, owl-carried mail hadn't seemed important or a reliable means of communication. Working at Hogwarts, it hadn't seemed needed with dozens of school owls available if he ever had need of them… and he usually didn't. His life was… very insular. But he always had Salazar, and the nearly self-sufficient snake was more than enough… nurturing for Severus. Until he had Harry.

Lily had sent him a letter by owl only once in their childhood, after they returned home from their first year at Hogwarts. His father hadn't taken well to an owl being in the house, so it never happened again. Young Lily didn't ask for details, and he didn't go see her for a week, not wanting to let her see.

But Severus was certain that no other owl he had spent any time with looked on with such a… sentient eye. It was as if the owl had judged him and decided he was safe enough to be in the room with Harry without its objection. With the protections around the house, Severus hadn't even been sure that the owl would find the place that it had never even been before, but the creature had had no trouble, arriving before nightfall their first evening at Spinner's End.

Harry's life was entirely at Hogwarts as well, having no need to write to anyone outside of the castle. The owl, Hedwig, served more as a… friend rather than a mail carrier. And Hedwig was a strange name for a boy who didn't seem interested in history to select. The only Hedwig Severus was familiar with was a German witch from over four hundred years ago who attempted to end witch burning by reducing the fear of magic in muggles. She was burned and lived over a dozen times on record, and her protest primarily over the innocent muggles died in the burnings, because they weren't actually witches or wizards who could defend themselves.

She was also a strong proponent of wandless magic, when European wizards, and much of the rest of the world as well, had been reliant on wands for their own protection for centuries. Being disarmed made a wizard much more likely to burn. Though she wouldn't have agreed with it, she was cited as one of the reasons for the International Statute of Secrecy, instituted not long after her death, a natural death when she was nearly one hundred and fifty. Or perhaps it was simply a name the boy had chosen at random.

Harry would talk to the owl as if the bird understood him as well as the snakes did. And strangely, the owl seemed to understand. Harry had had a conversation with the bird, their second day in Spinner's End, about how the owl could not attack Godric if the troublesome snake was wandering around the house. The owl had looked insulted and refused to even look at the snake, but it hadn't bothered either serpent in the days since then.

Severus looked over again to see the owl he was thinking about fixated on him. Seeing, judging. He had never understood why owls were considered wise, as they had never seemed more impressive than an enchanted memo used in the ministry, and the enchanted memos did not need to be fed or cleaned after.

Severus took a step towards the owl, uncertainly raising a hand. Severus had the uncomfortable feeling that he was approaching a hippogriff rather than a small, snowy owl. The bird silently inclined her head, and Severus scratched lightly over her head feathers. Did most owls want to be petted like a cat?

With a last look at the owl, and finally his son, Severus backed out of the room. He would swear that the owl nodded at him as he left, before turning her attention back to her young sleeping owner, as if he were a charge under her care rather than her master.

*****Severus*****

The later days of the break seemed to pass quicker than the first ones. Before he knew it, Severus looked around their empty quarters in the dungeon. He never thought that even a small part of himself would miss Spinner's End. It wasn't the house itself he missed of course, but the evenings with no other students to deal with, no mysterious attacks, and Harry and Dora there with him.

Harry would already be settling in now in Gryffindor Tower, seeing again his friends who had stayed at the castle, and waiting for the others to return on the train. He had hoped almost foolishly that by leaving the castle for a few weeks, everything would be safer and more suitable for his son when they returned, but it was just the same as before. He couldn't practically remove the child from school though, with his livelihood and ties to Dumbledore here. He would have to work to make the castle safer instead.

Why wasn't Hogwarts the safest place on earth like it had felt like for Severus as a child? Even with the bullying and not fitting in, Hogwarts had been a refuge for young Severus from his home life, much as it had been for Harry that first year, as Severus now knew. But what dangers would befall upon his son within these walls, and how much longer could that danger wait?

 **A/N: Thank you so much for all of the reviews, follows, and favorites. I've definitely noticed an uptick in follows and reviews after I crossed past 100,000 words, and I sooo appreciate it. Please keep up the support, because it really keeps me motivated! I just wanted to also thank reviewers that I cannot respond to personally because they are guest reviewers or have PMs disabled. I definitely still read and appreciate the reviews. I was inspired by a review just yesterday to write the little scene with Hedwig (I'd written the rest of the chapter quite a while ago). I had been feeling like the chapter was missing something, and I like how it fits. Please review!**

 **Also, I had to quickly modify this chapter because a kind reviewed noted that I hadn't included Harry's gifts from Severus. I kept delaying it because it was so hard to decide, and I think Severus would have just as much trouble with buying things.**


	25. Chapter 25 Powerful Memories

Chapter 24- Powerful Memories

*****Harry*****

Harry entered the owlery glad that it was empty. He'd gotten the idea that other people didn't really visit their owls just to chat.

"Hey there, girl. Settled in alright?" he asked, when she fluttered down to settle in front of him. He was glad she had made it back to Hogwarts safely.

Hedwig ruffled her feathers and inclined her head to allow him to pet her.

"Thanks for being so good about Godric and Salazar."

Hedwig looked resolutely away from him and clicked her beak a few times. Harry already knew she didn't really like the snakes, but it was good enough that they wouldn't fight.

"I know, girl. But you know you'll always be my first friend."

She puffed herself up more and nudged Harry's other hand, where she knew he had bits of bacon from breakfast for her. She didn't quite bite his hand, so she had to be happy with him.

She ate quickly and turned back to him.

"Just because I'm too thick to understand you quite as well, doesn't mean that I don't know you're the greatest, girl."

The little affectionate nip on his finger wasn't meant to hurt, or it would have.

"Sorry, I gotta go to class." His afternoon classes were about to start, but after Hedwig hadn't been back in time for breakfast, Harry had just wanted to see her.

"See you at breakfast tomorrow?"

Hedwig gave a little trill, and Harry knew she'd be there to see him.

*****Harry*****

Order returned to Harry's daily schedule in the next days: classes, meals, quidditch practice, and tense students and teachers everywhere, moving quickly through the halls even during the middle of the day.

Walking back towards the Tower after their last class, Harry and his friends kept out of sight as Filch hurried past muttering something to himself about going to talk to Dumbledore. Even when they weren't doing anything against the rules, students stayed away from the man, who was even angrier ever since his cat was petrified.

Looking for what had upset Filch, Harry spotted water seeping out from under the door of a girl's loo. "Hey, this is where Mrs. Norris was attacked," Ron said. Harry realized that he hadn't actually known where that first attack had been before then, since he had been in the dungeons at the time. He had heard that most students walked past the scene after the Halloween Feast though. "You don't think they got someone else, do you?" Ron asked tensely. "Is someone crying?" Now that Ron mentioned it, Harry could hear a girl crying. Harry was unpleasantly reminded of Hermione crying in the girl's loo the year before and being attacked by a troll.

"I think there was water on the floor that night too. Come on," Hermione instructed, pushing the door open. Harry made to follow her.

"Hermione! _We_ can't just walk into a girl's loo," Ron protested. Harry hadn't actually boon thinking of that, but he froze as well.

"It's just _Myrtle_ ," Hermione replied. "No one _living_ goes in there ever."

"What?" Both boys asked.

"Moaning Myrtle. That's what people call her. She's a ghost; she haunts one of the toilets. She scares away everyone from using this loo, so you can come in," Hermione explained before going through the door herself. With a glance at each other, Ron and Harry followed more hesitantly. It looked just like a boy's school loo without urinals. Harry wasn't sure why he expected it to be nicer. Water- at least it looked like just water- came from the only closed stall.

"Myrtle?" Hermione called in voice that was nicer and gentler than she had been using to describe the crying ghost outside.

"What?!" a sad voice snapped. The stall door flung open revealing Myrtle. Harry had never seen a young ghost before, and it was- unsettling. The girl only looked a few years older than they were, so Harry could see why she might be upset a lot. "Who are you and what do you want? Come to throw something at me again?"

Hermione looked back at Ron and Harry before asking, "Of course not. Has someone been throwing things at you, Myrtle?"

Harry thought about how it wouldn't really _hurt_ a ghost to have something thrown at her but thought better of commenting. It seemed that her feelings could still get hurt.

"Yes," the ghost whined, but at least she didn't seem as hysterical. Harry thought maybe she liked that someone would listen.

"Did you- happen to see who did it? Or- have you seen anything else strange happening here lately, Myrtle?"

"I didn't see anyone. I was just sitting here, minding my own business, thinking about death," she went on. Harry thought she sounded way too creepy. "And that book fell right through my head!"

"What book?" Hermione asked cautiously. Harry glanced at Ron and saw that he was just as content to let Hermione do the talking as Harry was. Now that he knew that no one was actually in danger, Harry was really feeling that they should leave the girl's loo. And he was remembering that if he _had_ thought there was danger, he was supposed to get his father first. It was just hard to remember that at the right time…

"It's over there," Myrtle pointed. "It washed up from the toilet when I got angry," she explained. "And sad." It was probably lonely being a ghost, especially one that everyone in the castle tried to avoid. But it wasn't like he could just come visit the girl -er dead girl, he supposed- in a girl's loo. Shaking his head slightly, Harry walked over and picked up the book that Myrtle had pointed out.

"Harry," Ron yelped, just as Harry grabbed the book. "Harry, that was stupid," his friend told him, "You can't just pick up strange stuff in the wizarding world. Hasn't your dad told you that?"

Harry frowned, picking up a book had seemed a lot less reckless to him than walking into a loo with a chance of having a _girl_ in it- well a living girl other than Hermione.

"Ron's right," Hermione said, though Harry could see eagerness in her eyes. Not much got between Hermione and a book.

"Well, it hasn't hurt me," Harry reminded them. "And it was making Myrtle upset, so we should get it out of here," he said. That sounded really good of him, right? Almost noble.

"Yes, that would be the nice thing to do," Hermione agreed. "We hope you feel better, Myrtle." It was an eerie feeling that _Ron_ was probably the voice of reason in this situation, but Harry pushed the thought aside. It was just a book, after all. Hermione left the loo first and whispered that they were safe to follow her out without being spotted.

Harry looked over the book as the three walked back to Gryffindor Tower, cautious enough from Ron's warning to not open it yet. The faded date on the cover said that the book was old, about fifty years old. Spotting small engraving on the back of the book, he smiled. "It's a muggle book," he said. "There's a store name and address on the back. It's from a muggle street in London. It can't be that bad. Besides, it's in _Hogwarts_. I'm sure Dumbledore can stop bad stuff from getting into a castle of kids."

Harry glanced around to see Hermione nodding and Ron biting his lip, "My dad works all the time fixing muggle stuff that's been enchanted… but…"

"Here," Hermione said, leaning over the book in Harry's hands and waving her wand at it, muttering quickly. "It doesn't seem to be jinxed," she said eagerly. "I checked for a lot of common ones and a few nasty ones I've read about."

"Well, go on then, if Hermione says so. What's in it, Harry?"

Harry's face fell when he actually opened the book and thumbed through the pages. Empty. "Nothing," he answered. "Wait, a guy's name on the first page. 'T. M. Riddle.'

"T. M. Riddle?" Ron echoed. "Anyone heard of him? Hermione? Someone from history or something?" he asked. "Maybe someone started taking notes in history class and gave up really quickly."

"Probably just the bloke who owned the book," Harry replied sullenly. He didn't know why he'd gotten so worked up over the thing. It had just seemed- exciting and was a bit of a letdown. "Looks like a muggle diary that he just never wrote in."

"Why would someone bother trying to flush it then?" Ron wondered.

"Maybe there's more to it than it looks," Hermione put in eagerly. "Come on," she said, walking faster than both of them, almost a jog towards the tower, leaving Ron and Harry somewhat more excited to follow her. They might as well leave the hallways outside of a girl's loo.

Minutes later, Hermione had arranged her wand and a red lump of clay or something on a table in the common room. "Give it here," Hermione instructed, holding out a hand. Harry was hesitant to part with it, but handed the mysterious book to his friend. If anyone could figure it out, it was Hermione. "It might just be written in invisible ink," she whispered. She tapped the diary a few times with her wand and said, "Aparecium!" in a low voice.

Nothing happened, and Harry was disappointed, but he made to grab the book back. Hermione kept a firm hold though. "Let me try something else," she said, grabbing the red lump. "It's called a revealer," she explained. They were all disappointed again when rubbing various parts of the first page did nothing. "Sorry to get your hopes up," Hermione finally said, handing him back the diary.

"Might as well write in it yourself, since it's useless otherwise. Don't know why this Riddle bloke never wrote in it. Pretty cool that it wasn't too messed up by the water though," Ron commented. "It might have some sort of protections on it."

Like Ron said, the pages had been soaked in the loo, but they were almost dry now. The cover was shabby, and the pages were a little yellow, but it wasn't as bad off as Harry would have expected to be that old and not belong to someone who cared about it. And the page hadn't peeled or crumbled when Hermione rubbed the revealer hard on a damp page, even though it just looked like a muggle book from fifty years ago. There had to be something special about the book- Harry could feel it.

Fishing out a quill and ink, Harry began to write, "My name is Harry-" he hesitated over his last name as he had for more than a year, ever since he found out who his father was. Before he wrote more, the ink vanished anyway. But before he could be disappointed, different words appeared on the page.

" _Hello, Harry. My name is Tom Riddle. How did you come by my diary?"*_ That was the coolest bit of magic Harry had ever seen. Hermione gasped.

"Harry, shut it now," Ron said firmly. Harry had already lifted his quill towards the page to respond, but Ron's arm reached over and snapped the book shut.

"What's your problem?" Harry shot at his supposed best friend that had just messed up something really interesting. He dimly recognized that they were starting to make a scene in the middle of the common room. A quick scan of the room later saw each of the other four Weasley sibilings look over from different parts of the room. Weasleys definitely stuck together. He wasn't really worried about the twins or Ginny- though Ginny _was_ looking at him strangely- but he'd have to be quiet or 'Percy the Prefect' might interfere.

"Harry, you need to show that book to your dad." Ron said insistently. "Books don't write back, especially ones that are supposed to be muggle ones. This definitely seems like the kinds thing my dad works with? They can be really nasty, and I've never even heard of a book coming up with words on its own." Ron had been annoying lately, Harry thought as he held the book to his chest. He didn't want to give up the book. But, looking around, Harry noticed that Hermione was looking worried too and nodding. They probably weren't both wrong, Harry could admit to himself.

"Fine, fine, of _course_ I'll show it to him. I show everything to him," Harry said, resenting in that moment that he was always such a well behaved little boy. He wasn't just some little kid. He felt better with the book back in his hands though, away from his friends. "But we have to go to dinner about now, or it'll look odd right?" Other students were starting to head for the portrait hole. "I couldn't talk to him right now anyway, and I'm not supposed to miss meals," Harry said. "I'll just put it in my trunk now, and I can take it to him after dinner. Or in the morning," Harry said, remembering that he was supposed to stay in the dorms after dinner because of the attacks. He didn't know how he could have forgotten about that.

"We'll go too so you won't be alone," Ron chimed in.

"Yeah, yeah," Harry said, running the book up to his trunk and meeting his two friends at the bottom of the stairs for the three of them to head off to the Great Hall.

Harry felt pleased as he dug into pudding after a delicious meal, not really paying attention to the conversation around him, but thinking about what was in his trunk in the tower. Of _course_ he'd take the book to his dad. He could trust that his father would only take the book away from Harry if it were actually dangerous, and Harry was sure it wasn't.

After all, his father hadn't taken away his invisibility cloak, and that had to be more dangerous for a student than a magical book that would have a conversation with you. There were probably loads of them in the magical world, even if Ron wasn't familiar with them. It wasn't like Ron knew everything magical. And Hermione knew a lot, but she had spent even less time around magic than Harry had, since Harry had spent the summer at Hogwarts. Maybe Harry _would_ go down with Hermione and Ron right after dinner to bring it to his father. It would be fine so long as Harry didn't go alone.

Half an hour later, Harry's throat sank into his gut as he looked at the disheveled room. He knew what he would- or rather wouldn't find immediately. The diary was gone. There was something _wrong_ with that book, Harry realized.

Something had made someone else throw it away in the first place. Something that had _made_ Harry not want to give it up, and be irritated at Ron for saying he should, even though Harry knew deep down that he should show it to his father.

Now Harry _really_ needed to talk to his dad. Hermione agreed to stay and try to figure out who might have taken the book- maybe someone in Gryffindor, which was unsettling to Harry to think that someone would steal from a fellow Gryffindor. Ron would come with him at least as far as Harry's father's office in the dungeons so Harry could talk to his dad.

****Severus*****

"Hey, um, Dad?" Harry said, walking into the room. Severus raised an eyebrow and looked at the shy child in front of him. Harry didn't call him 'Dad' very often, and he had a suspicion that he wouldn't like whatever followed. Had the boy gotten into trouble? Severus almost hoped that it was that simple. Why was everything in their lives so serious?

"Yes, Harry?"

"So, I found this book- in the- well… we heard crying in the girl's loo, and it was- well, I remembered Hermione last year, so we just peeked in," the boy was leaving large pieces out and wasn't making much sense. "But we met Myrtle, the ghost that haunts there I guess, and she was upset, and I found this book that someone threw in there. And it was old, but still empty. And we were writing in it, testing it out, but the ink disappeared and then it talked back, and I was going to bring it to you tonight, I promise I was, but then I came back from dinner, and it was gone from my room, and I- don't know what happened."

"The book _talked_ back? What do you mean, Harry?" Severus asked, feeling uneasy. That seemed like an advanced piece of magic for a student to enchant a book in that way. Perhaps a few NEWTs students, but he hadn't heard of such a thing being an assigned project.

"I wrote in it. I- I said my name was Harry, just like I was writing in a diary or something, and he- it- said that its name was Tom Riddle. And then we closed it and didn't say anymore, and I was going to take it to you the first good chance I got, I swear, but someone must have taken it from my room. And er- the book felt weird, but I don't know how to describe it. And I'm sorry I didn't take it to you right away."

 _Tom Riddle_ , the name resonated with dread in his mind.

Tom Riddle.

Severus still needed to talk to his son. Maybe all of this, the child's worry, could have been avoided if he had just… "Thank you, Harry. I greatly appreciate you telling me. You were right to do so. I-" he sighed, "I'm sorry I've been so distant since the attacks began. I just haven't wanted to put you in any vulnerable positions." He was being an idiot.

Severus continued, "But I did find a- piece of information that I neglected to inform you, Harry. I was able to capture and question Dobby, and he mentioned a small, black book. If I had- informed you earlier, you might have known to not even touch a book that resembled the description." He was supposed to tell the boy as much as he thought the boy could handle. Certainly, that would have been important information to share.

He tried to justify it to himself, "There was simply- so many other things going on, and another attack happened that evening. And I hadn't wanted to talk about such things during your time away from the castle." He had just- wanted to keep his son away from anything dangerous, but by not passing along information, he had endangered the child more by his thoughtless oversight.

Severus was on his way to becoming Dumbledore, irritatingly only sharing information when _he_ thought it necessary. Severus didn't like understanding, even sympathizing with the old man. But then, Severus hadn't told the headmaster about the diary either, and it did pose a potential threat to the entire school. No, he had only told Dora, though she couldn't have known that he hadn't told anyone else.

"That's okay," the boy whispered, looking at the ground. Severus knew the child didn't like to not be told things. The child was probably still wallowing in his own guilt for not coming forward with the book immediately.

"That's all that I know, Harry. Keep your eyes open for anyone who might have taken it, but do not approach that person, okay? When I know more, I will let you know. Tom Riddle was a very dangerous person whom you should have nothing to do with." Severus couldn't quite tell him everything, who Tom Riddle was, even though he knew he should. His son looked like he wanted to say something more but wouldn't. The child started heading towards the door.

 _What was Severus doing, sending the child away? When someone had broken into the boy's room and gone through his things just that night? Someone who had access to Gryffindor Tower?_ Severus couldn't think straight.

"Actually, you should remain here tonight, Harry. Alright? Tell your friends, whom I assume are waiting for you in the hall, that will be fine here for the night." Harry nodded.

"And if they would like to stay the night as well, they may," Severus added as an afterthought. He was trying to look after too many children. Severus thought there was a little smile on Harry's face as he ran back to the door. Perhaps he had done one thing right at least. If a second year girl spent the night in the same room as two second year boys, the impropriety wouldn't hurt anyone, and he wasn't walking children back to Gryffindor Tower tonight, even if it was still well before curfew.

In the end, Granger hadn't even been there, and young Weasley had wanted to get back, so Severus sent the boy through the floo to the Gryffindor common room. It was an access he had as a Head of House that he had never exercised before except for the Slytherin common room, but was glad to have, rather than face the effort of anything else when he felt like he was about to collapse and needed to think.

*****Severus*****

Severus allowed himself to slump in his chair when Harry was shut safely inside of his room for the night.

 _Tom Riddle._ Severus hadn't heard that name in years.

 _"Step forward, Severus. Your honored brother Lucius has said you are ready for your initiation into our ranks, and I must say that I agree. Severus, tell me your strengths."_

 _"My Lord, I have made significant progress towards my Potions Mastery. I will likely be one of the youngest to attain the title. And I have significant talent with the Dark Arts as well."_

 _"Are you proficient with the three Great Curses, the so called 'Unforgivables?'"_

 _"Yes, My Lord."_

 _"You have used each of them then? On a 'human' victim?"_

 _"No… My Lord…"_

 _"Yes well, are muggles really human anyway?" he asked, and Severus did not respond. A response didn't seem to be expected of him. He began to feel more nervous about this whole situation. This did not feel the way that Lucius had described._

 _"Tell me, Severus, what are your weaknesses?"_

 _That was a question that no real Slytherin would answer, at least honestly. A Slytherin could never give another person, especially another Snake, information that could lead to his downfall. He had to answer, so he would give information that his Lord already knew, "I am- but a half-blood, My Lord."_

 _"Yes, Severus, you must know that we are already aware. But the Princes are a respectable enough family to make up for the… indiscretion of your late mother. I embrace you despite this infirmity."_

" _In fact, you shall make it a strength. I see a younger version of myself in you, Severus Snape. I too, had an undeserving muggle father."_

 _Severus concealed his shock and did not comment, as was expected of a Slytherin._

" _I was able to purge that undignified portion of history from my life. I can trust you, can't I Severus?" The man didn't wait for a response. "I sense that people have not trusted you often in the past. Severus, that is just one thing in your life that will change from this point forward. You will be a trusted brother. No one would ever call me Tom Riddle now."_

" _It is truly sad that your own blight of a father died before you could take the power and kill him yourself," the Dark Lord continued, chilling Severus's blood._

 _That was what Severus had wanted though, wasn't it? To kill the bastard who had beaten him, smacked him around for as long as he could remember? The brute who had beaten his mother as well, forced her to abandon her magic, weakened her so. Why did she never fight, even for her son? Severus didn't have any proof, but he knew that his father had killed his mother in the end, or at least beaten her mentally and physically over the years until she gave up on life entirely._

 _"However," the Dark Lord spoke again, "You have the opportunity to do so now, at least in spirit." And with a wave of the Dark Lord's wand, a man floated in and was dropped near Severus's feet. Severus was ashamed that he took a step back from the sight. The man was drunk almost to the point of unconsciousness and reeked of hard liquor. Eyes unfocused, ugly._

" _I found this wretch for you. They were of the same mold, this creature and the scum that claimed to be your father. Drunkards who beat their children and disrespect those who nature set as better than them. What do you want to do, Severus?"_

 _Severus stared at the man, so like his father after a particularly violent rage that had tired the drunk old man out. Fury built in the young man, the anger so fierce that it made him even more afraid._

 _"Kill your father, Severus."_

 _And then it was over. Severus was made part of the inner circle in less than an hour's time. The Dark Lord called his other followers to him, and Severus received the Dark Mark. The whole day was the beginning of the most terrible mistakes in his life, and he already knew it as he stared at the body of the dead muggle who was_ not _his father, unblemished from the killing curse. Severus felt the pain in his arm for the mark that he knew he would have until he was as dead as that muggle, and that probably wouldn't even take very long._

 _Just before the Dark Lord called his other followers, he had said, "Look into my eyes, Severus. You can hide nothing from your master." And Severus in his weakened emotional state let him in, truly let him in, to see all of his terrible childhood, his need for acceptance. The only thing he held back was Lily. Perhaps this was so the Dark Lord wouldn't see more weakness, or only because that was his own private hurt. The man would never know that his childhood friend, his only love, was a- mu- was a muggleborn…" Severus thought._

 _"Very good. You have Occlumency skills I see, but you hide nothing from your master, not that you could. It will serve you well in the plan I have for you. You, Severus Snape, will be my spy."_

Severus came to himself, staring at the empty room around him. Had that been the biggest mistake of his life, or just a memorable bump along the path of terrible deeds? It had been the first and only time he directly took a life with his wand, but Severus knew he had been the cause of so many more.

How many times had he brewed potions for his former master? How many times had he passed along true information before his allegiances had finally shifted? Severus sighted and rubbed his temple. He felt just a little better knowing that Harry was safe in his own room in their quarters. At least he hadn't let the boy go back to Gryffindor Tower, for the child's own safety of course. The dungeon rooms felt so desolate when Harry wasn't around. Or Dora.

 **A/N: So… darker there, but the scene wouldn't leave me alone. And now Severus and Harry both know about the diary. Severus is starting to have more information to work with, perhaps enough to catch the new owner? Please tell me what to think! The reviews have just kept pouring in, almost 300 reviews, and over 700 follows (that one is crazy to me)- thank you so much!**


	26. Chapter 26 Coming to Conclusions

Chapter 26- Coming to Conclusions

*****Severus*****

"Um- can we go to breakfast?" Harry asked, waking Severus.

Waking Severus. He'd… fallen asleep? Stiff neck to prove it, he'd spent the night sleeping half-sitting, half reclining on his couch. Recalling the numerous tasks more important than sleep, he was ashamed that his body had given into exhaustion.

Breakfast, yes, a way to see Albus and Minerva in person to begin checks of Gryffindor dorms for a small black book that had the name 'Tom Riddle' on it. Albus would know the significance of the name, and he thought Minerva would too. She had been high up in the Order and had been in school at about the same time as Riddle.

The female dorms would need to be searched particularly thoroughly, since the diary had been discarded in a female loo. A Gryffindor girl would not have been a likely suspect for petrifying her peers, but everything was rarely as it appears. The child was likely being controlled by the book and had no knowledge of whatever spells were causing the petrification.

And just in case, the few house elves who had access to Harry's room in Gryffindor Tower would need to be questioned as well. Severus would not leave any task undone. He should have forced until the search happened earlier, even with little evidence. Severus never had enough time to think. Why was there always something sinister going on since Harry came to Hogwarts? The ten years before had been boring in comparison.

*****Harry*****

Arriving early to his second class of the day with Hermione, Harry wondered where Ron had disappeared to, and why Professor McGonagall wasn't there early like she nearly always was.

"I think Ginny's missing," Ron came panting up to them.

"What?" Harry responded first.

"She was looking ill at breakfast, and I wanted to check with her after the first class, but her year mates said she hadn't been to class. And- and I was feeling like something was wrong, so I- asked if they'd seen her with an old black book, and they said she'd been writing in one all year," he got out quickly.

Hermione gasped, and Harry tried to swallow the lump caught in his throat. Ginny had been acting oddly, hadn't she? Harry didn't really know her well, but he had thought a couple of times that she was acting… off.

"I'm the worst brother ever. But we have to find someone. Where's McGonagall? Harry, do you know where your dad is? Maybe you should stay and wait on McGonagall, and Hermione and I will try to find your dad?"

"What? Of course I'm coming. Hermione can wait, right?"

"I-," Hermione said, looking doubtfully at the closed door. "Alright."

Had class been cancelled and they hadn't heard?

"Just don't want your dad mad at us," Ron muttered, but he was already walking to the dungeon with a few steps behind. Harry.

"Maybe he'll be in his office. He has a free period," Harry recalled.

"Come… Come with me, little girl. Soon I will truly be free with my new master again. I will get to rip… to tear… to kill… as much as I wish…"

Harry turned around in place twice, "Where's that voice coming from?" he asked Ron quickly, trying to hear it again.

"Harry, what voice? No one's talking but us," Ron said frustrated, stopping in their walk. Harry knew that they didn't have time for this, but maybe it was related. Ron might have gotten that idea as well, "What's it saying?" he pushed.

"Hush," Harry instructed, trying to listen to the voice which was growing fainter, almost like a- hiss.

Harry thought he was able to follow it when he heard it again, "You will be my first in so long…" Harry darted forward down the hall, but he couldn't hear anything there anymore. But when he ran back, he couldn't hear anything the other way either.

"Harry, what's it saying?" Ron asked frantically now.

"Not... good stuff," Harry said with a sigh. "About killing someone- a girl, and then being loose in the castle to kill as many people at it wants," he told Ron with horror.

"Ginny," Ron almost wailed, "I'd say you were crazy hearing voices if I didn't believe you too."

"We've got to find my dad," Harry said, turning towards the dungeons again, hearing Ron's steps pick up quickly behind him again. There was something unsettling about that voice, but almost familiar. Harry thought it was a ghost for sure at first, hiding just inside the walls, but he had never heard one of the Hogwarts ghosts sound like that. And surely a ghost wouldn't be able to kill anyone- or want to. And Ron couldn't hear it, which was... something.

*****Severus*****

The Weasley girl was missing. There had been a note by the first message, saying 'Her skeleton will lie in the Chamber forever.' He had to cancel all of his classes and get all of his students into the dormitory. He grasped the schedule he had come to retrieve. He should have sent Milly after it.

Not thinking straight would get him killed one of these days, or cause the death of those under his care. He hadn't known where all of his students were off the top of his head, but he should have. He would know if he were thinking clearly. And Harry. He hadn't seen Harry with his own eyes since the message appeared, so Severus couldn't think of anything else. But Harry had class with Minerva this period, Severus was certain, so she would retrieve him and keep an eye on the boy, even if that meant him returning to Gryffindor Tower.

But the Tower would be safe now. Severus had a strong feeling that it was the Weasley girl who had broken into Harry's rooms the day before, and now she was missing. She would have the book with her.

"Dad! Dad," What was Harry doing here? "I heard a voice that Ron couldn't hear, and it was saying awful things about killing a girl, and maybe more people too, and we think Ginny's missing and that she had the book," the child blurted it all out. Hearing voices. He probably needed to handle that calmly.

Severus wasn't sure what questions to ask, "What do you think it might have been, Harry?" The child had good instincts at least.

"I thought maybe-" the boy suggested nervously, "It was like how I can hear Salazar and Godric when no one else can. It sounded sort of like them but- deeper, bigger and less- hissy, so maybe that's not it.

A giant snake? That would be an interesting link that would tie it to the last known parseltongue before his own son, Tom Riddle. But a snake that could petrify victims without leaving visible bite marks?

No. A snake-like creature that could kill with a mere glance. A basilisk. A basilisk that was evidently planning on killing Miss Weasley and then likely the rest of the castle's population. But why weren't the victims dead? He would need more information, any way to confirm…

Severus wished he had a pensieve handy; he really needed to invest in one. That would be considerably more precise than what he was considering, "Harry," he addressed his son as calmly as he could, "I'm going to use a spell to find that memory in your head and watch it, alright? It's called Legilimency, and it will feel strange, but it won't hurt as long as you don't fight me on it, okay? I just need you to think about what you just heard."

"Okay," Harry answered, obviously scared but trusting his father, a trust Severus still wasn't sure how on earth he deserved.

"Legilimens," Severus said slowly to not alarm the boy. And then he was on the first floor hallway, if he wasn't mistaken, not too far from the first attack, the one on the cat. In Harry's head, he could hear the sickening voice promising death to Severus's students, the voice that young Ron Weasley clearly hadn't heard. Severus was surprised that in Harry's head he understood it. He didn't think he would have in a pensieve. Another thing he didn't have time to consider.

Severus found himself back in his rooms with the two scared boys when he had seen enough. It was in the walls then. It must be in the pipes.

Pipes.

The cat was found just outside the first floor toilet, which had been flooded at the time, from the ghost causing havoc in her bathroom.

Pipes, loo, the ghost!

The ghost, the victim decades ago that was killed- wasn't that the ghost that haunted that same girl's toilet?

How could he have not thought of it sooner? Of course, everyone at the castle ignored the unfortunate, unpleasant child ghost- the sort of thing that unsettled faculty, and the ghost almost never left the confines of that loo.

Severus's mind sought to make a complete picture. He needed all of the data.

The floor had been flooded- perhaps the cat had only seen a reflection. The couple, found in yet another loo, had been facing a mirror. That Ravenclaw prefect had been looking in a mirror as well.

Severus didn't know much about the boy who had been petrified decades ago, but it was no longer such a stretch of the imagination. Severus was now certain that indirect eye contact with a basilisk resulted in petrification rather than death.

Harry had heard the voice on the first floor. Severus needed to go talk to a certain unpleasant ghost. As much as it pained him, he had a feeling that he would need to take Harry with him too. The Chamber of Secrets just might be real. Even with the improbability of being hidden for a millennium. And if it was real, Severus had a suspicion now of where to find the entrance.

*****Severus*****

Severus attempted to send the youngest Weasley back to Gryffindor Tower through the floo, because the boy could at least be spared the risk but... Severus's usual intimidation wasn't working on the child so concerned for his sister, and Severus just didn't have the energy to push the child harder. Severus would just have to keep them all safe.

Severus entered the room first, checked to see if it was clear of dangerous monsters before allowing the boys to follow him. Severus supposed that it was fortunate that the girl's ghost was in the toilet that she haunted, saving him the need to track her.

"Myrtle Warren," Severus addressed her. He didn't have time for her wailing nonsense, so he hoped she would match his seriousness, "You died in this very room after looking into the eyes of a beast, a large snake, did you not?"

The ghost- the girl, seemed surprised at being addressed in that way and was thoughtful for a moment, "I- I didn't see much, but there were very large, yellow eyes. But it could have been a snake. And then- I died. My whole body seize-"

"Yes, yes," Severus said, not having time for this. "I need to know where. There is another girl's life at stake. Can you show me where you saw the eyes? The direction they came from?" This was a shot in the dark- the entrance could have been anywhere else, but Severus though with two attacks in the area, this was the key.

"Somewhere over there. By the sink, right in front of my stall," Myrtle pointed behind them. "The tap's never worked on that one."

The sink didn't work. Perhaps it didn't work because it was only concealing a passage underneath, Severus made another leap in logic. Now ignoring the sad ghost, Severus and the two boys crowded around the indicated sink, hoping for anything unusual.

"There's a- snake carving here," Harry's sharp eyes spotted it first.

"Talk to it, Harry!" Ron Weasley urged. "In Parseltongue."

"Open up," Harry said in clear English. Severus supposed Harry really must not be able to tell the difference when he spoke to snakes.

"Just English," Ron commented grimly.

"Look at the snake and really believe that it's real, like you're talking to Godric or Salazar," Severus encouraged with confidence, as if he was certain the Weasley boy's crazy idea would work. Of course, Severus had been about to suggest the same thing before the red-headed boy spoke.

Then Harry made a hissing noise that didn't startle Severus nearly as much as it did the first time. More alarming was that directly after Harry talked to it, the entire sink shifted, dropping below where they could see, leaving only a large pipe between the surrounding sinks. Severus made note of the nuances of the sound that Harry had made, playing it back in his head where he was certain he could recall it with his precise memory from years of Occlumency if he needed to instruct any other obstacle to open with Parseltonge. It should work, at least in theory. Probably.

"Harry, I want you and Ron to wait for me in our quarters, understood? I want you as far away from this as possible. Milly," Severus called. The house elf arrived promptly. He should have been using the elf more.

"But we- I can help. What if you need me to open something else up? You can't leave me behind-" Harry whined. His son's friend looked torn but met Severus's eyes and nodded. The Weasley child was trusting him to bring his sister back. Severus dearly hoped he wouldn't have to disappoint the boy.

"What do you wish, Master Potions Master?" Milly asked from his side.

"Thank you, Milly. I want you to take both Harry and Ron to my quarters and keep them there until I return. Mr. Weasley, do you agree to this? I can send you back to Gryffindor Tower if you prefer, but neither of you will be coming any further with me."

"I'll go with Harry," the child agreed, taking the elf's hand as Milly grabbed hold of Harry as well. Severus glanced at his son. The boy had stopped speaking, but tears ran down the boy's cheeks.

"Just come back, okay?" Harry said quietly. Milly popped away with them before Severus had to reply. He wouldn't have known what to say anyway. Severus shook himself and turned to face the large opening where there had been a sink before.

*****Harry*****

Ron sat tightly curled on Harry's bed as Harry paced the room that suddenly seemed too small. Even though they'd only been there a few minutes, Harry didn't know how much he could take.

"He'll be okay, you know," Ron said softly. "He's going to bring Ginny back too- I mean, if that's even where she is. Might be some other poor girl," he mumbled. Harry was sure it was Ginny.

"How do you know? That he'll come back, I mean. What if he doesn't come back?" Harry's fears slipping out in panic, "What if I have to go back to the Dursleys? And not just that. I- I just got to have a family, and I don't want to lose him. I'd rather go down there myself," Harry went on, worry spreading through all of his thoughts.

"Your dad's going to be fine," Ron said firmly, still hugging his legs tightly to his chest. "And you wouldn't go back to the muggles. You'd move in with us. You could bunk with me like when you visited in the summer, but all the time."

"Really?" Harry asked, feeling just a bit lighter inside.

"Of course. But it won't happen. Your dad will get Ginny and come back right here," Ron said again, though a bit shakily.

"How are you so sure?" Harry asked, wanting to hear it again, but not wanting to make his friend doubt it.

"Because that's what dads do," Ron said as if it were so simple. "And mums too. They fix problems that are too big for their kids to handle. Thought this- would be too much for my parents, but your dad's scary, Harry, scarier than Mum even. He's really good at this stuff. You can just tell. He- He'll be fine," Ron said, sitting up a bit straighter.

 **A/N: Next chapter, Severus goes to face what lies below. This was sort of a connecting chapter, but I didn't want to lump it in with everything that came before or everything that will come after, and I enjoyed making the little scene with the two boys at the end.**

 **Please review and let me know how I'm doing. I'm realizing that a lot of the dangerous things in the books involve going downwards or underground. Nice symbolism there, I suppose.**


	27. Chapter 27 Under Hogwarts Again

Chapter 26- Under Hogwarts Again

*****Severus*****

Severus lowered himself as quickly as he could down the large piping with his own controlled magical flight, an ability that he did not use often but was much preferable to slipping through slime. Severus stood when he reached the level lower below Hogwarts than he had been before, and where he stood was cave-like. If he guessed, he would have to say that he was now under the lake, quite a long way down.

Severus felt foolish but tense, walking along a dark, damp passageway, wand lit. He found himself in front of closed doors and hoped that he wouldn't have to call Harry down to this place. He closed his eyes and tried to make the hissing sound, and at his third try, the strange doors covered in images of snakes split open, sliding out of sight. Severus cautiously walked inside.

He quickly saw the youngest Weasley, sprawled on the ground. He saw the slight movements of breathing, _not dead_ , but the young witch looked paler than usual, even for a Weasley. Severus spotted the described diary, not far from the girl. It had compelled her to take herself down here, but if he could destroy it, it seemed likely that the hold would be broken.

"And who are you?" a voice came from one side. Severus could have cursed himself for not being more vigilant, but who on earth could have gotten down in this chamber?

At a glance he knew who it was. This was more than just a bewitched diary of his old master that could convince a preteen girl to do terrible things. Severus hadn't actually expected to see the man- or rather, boy in the flesh. Years younger and more handsome, but the same charismatic smile. He could be one of Severus's fifth or sixth years, complete with Slytherin robes that hadn't changed in design in the half century since Tom Riddle had attended the school. The boy spoke again, "The Head of Slytherin perhaps? I've heard some things about you from the girl. Father of a most interesting boy, aren't you?"

"I don't believe that would be much of your concern, Tom Riddle," Severus replied.

"Ah, you know who I was, do you? You know what I became?"

"You became nothing more than I see before me," Severus said, feeling fear grip him that he had to control. Oh the years he had wasted worshiping this scum. "An ashamed half-blood who would betray and kill anyone who got in your way."

"I am Lord Voldemort!" the teenager cried. Severus knew it was coming and stopped himself from reacting to the name. "And whatever strange thing happened with your little son those years ago is insignificant. I will have this body now to walk around again, younger and stronger than anyone would suspect. In fact, perhaps you would like to join me. It is how Slytherin House works isn't it, bound together against the other houses who hate us? The girl thinks you care for your son, but can you really care for a Gryffindor child that you didn't even know was yours for more than eleven years?"

"Why the girl?" Severus asked, knowing he needed to keep whatever this was talking until he could free Ginny Weasley. He couldn't be sure of this being's tie to the diary and to the girl. It wasn't the real Tom Riddle, no matter the likeness. It was a shadow, no more. When he looked closely, the boy didn't even look quite solid. And yet, it twisted a wand between its fingers, though hadn't used it- yet. Severus hoped that it couldn't.

"The girl just started talking to me one day, pouring her soul into me really. You wouldn't believe how insipid the mind of an eleven-year-old girl is, worried about fitting in and being good enough at magic. Though, soon enough, she mentioned something quite interesting, a certain young Harry Potter. Not _your_ last name, I noticed. I got most of your story with him as well, though the girl was blandly innocent. She didn't even know where children came from before I took it upon my good nature to explain it," he laughed harshly. Severus gritted his teeth.

"Every day she poured more into me, I strengthened as she weakened. I was able to awaken the beast and let it loose. But you, _you_ were a thorn in my side, strange as it is. The girl became scared, threw my book away, only for me to be found by the one I wanted to speak to most," Severus was reluctantly content to let the shade of a boy ramble. Relevant information would surface, he hoped.

"But the boy never said more than a few words, and then I was back in the hands of that _girl_ again," he said, flinging and arm out to Ginny Weasley. "She was scared, scared of you in particular, that Harry and his friends would bring my diary to you. The girl knew a bit of what was going on by then, about the attacks. She was scared to get expelled and scared she might hurt someone else. She didn't even write in my diary for hours. When she did, I knew I couldn't wait any longer. I had wanted to attack a few more students, cause more panic, let a few die. But I had to hurry before the girl did anything else rash. I brought her here so we would be undisturbed, so I could drain her dry, to soak up the rest of her soul. And now, you see, I have physical form, more or less. I can feel the magic coming back to me. I can even hold a wand again."

"I confess, from what I'd heard from the girl, I expected to see your son here actually, on some crazed mission. But you are perhaps, a worthier opponent. What is it that you think you can do, Severus Snape?"

"I don't plan on telling much to a teenage boy, little Tom Junior," Severus said.

The thing screeched in anger, "Then you shall die," the boy seethed, "You were always going to die once you came down here, but I will enjoy this particularly. I don't even need magic for it, except my own blood-right."

The boy hissed, and it sounded far more sinister than when Harry did it. Severus's head turned to the sound of movement. The serpent was rising and would come from the opened mouth of the statue of Salazar Slytherin, which was a large fixture in the room. This information gave Severus one chance to take the advantage when he knew where it would be. He made the only preparations that came to his mind. Severus clenched his eyes and cast silently.

 _Conjunctivitis_. _Obscuro_.

At least the target was large, and if he powered the spells enough, he hoped he wouldn't have to hit the eyes exactly.

Damn it, what was he doing down here by himself? His mind raced through thoughts. This was one of the least Slytherin actions of his life, casting spells at a giant, deadly creature with his eyes closed. He'd dropped down a secret tunnel under the ancient school without anyone besides two twelve-year-olds and a house elf knowing where he was going. This was the kind of thing he would be furious at Harry for, not the sort of action he was supposed to take himself, no matter how much experience he had. A rash spy was a dead spy. Too late now though. He could only hope that he and the little girl did not suffer for his foolishness.

 _Conjunctivitis_. _Obscuro_.

"No! NO!" the teenage shade shrieked, and Severus was relatively certain his plan of blinding the thing had worked. The beast was not dead though, and the fangs were as deadly as the eyes, and its hide was notoriously difficult to pierce, leaving Severus with few good options.

Severus risked opening his eyes a fraction to aim properly. The beast was thrashing around. Severus's teenage former master's likeness was hissing at the snake, probably instructing it to kill Severus, possibly telling it where he was, but Severus tried to not let it distract him.

He had to kill the beast. He hated using the spell, on anything, but he wouldn't take any chances in this case. He should have gathered the nerve to use it earlier.

"Avada Kadavra," he hissed, squinting at the base of the snake, the part moving the least. Severus's aim was always good. The creature collapsed, head landing, sprawled sideways, large head crashing only a meter away from its master's feet.

"No! NO!"

Severus stepped closer, "Sectum Semptra," he muttered, severing both of the swelled, shut eyes, just in case they held some power, even in death.

"You killed the beast of Salazar Slytherin," the annoyance shrieked. "You killed the symbol of his great house!"

"Slytherin's symbol was a snake, not a basilisk, even if he might have bred this one. I took no relish in disposing of the beast, but was left with no other option and feel no remorse. I believe you've caused enough harm, Tom." The beast dispatched, he needed to deal with the shadow of Tom Riddle, _without_ killing Ginevra Weasley.

"No. I have only yet begun. I have almost disposed of the little Gryffindor girl. Ginny Weasley. Oh, how she poured her heart, her soul into me, allowing me to latch on. I don't recommend you use the killing curse on me, or it's her you'll finish." It would stop him too, Severus was sure, but he couldn't take that route.

 _Expeliarmus_ , Severus cast silently, shocked when the teenager managed a Protego just in time. Even at sixteen, Tom Riddle had been a fearsome adversary. This wasn't really Tom Riddle though. And yet- he, _it_ could do magic. Severus saw the shield flicker- it had only held for the second required to block his spell.

 _Stupify_ , _Expeliarmus_.

The thing had blocked the first, but wand slipped out of its hand and into Severus's. Severus didn't really want the annoyance unconscious anyway- he still might need information. What the hell was this thing that Tom had created? Severus thought about snapping the twig in his hand, but knew that Ginny Weasley would want her wand back if this ended well.

"What are you, really?" he asked.

The shade was less confident now, backing slightly towards the unconscious girl. Yes, using others as protection was always his style, "I will be Lord Voldemort reborn, when Ginny Weasley is dead. You might as well kill her now, because that is the only way you'll stop me. This whole castle shivers, quakes, at the mere memory of me."

The brat liked the term 'memory,' Severus noticed. The thing was an interesting construction of Severus's former master at that age preserved.

"The castle's inhabitants feared the power of a _basilisk_ , which now lays dead at our feet," Severus said, stepping closer. "I would have stopped it sooner if I had known what we were dealing with. A basilisk petrifying victims who saw it indirectly had never been documented, only ones who died from the encounter. And this time, you did not kill any of my students."

Severus smirked largely as the shade took one step back. Severus glanced at Miss Weasley, looking more ill than he had been when he arrived. He didn't have time for this.

" _I_ will rise again. Lord Voldemort is not dead. This, all of this, is only one small plan of mine. There will have been others. You would have known if you were actually one of my trusted followers."

"Trust stems from respect, and Tom Riddle respected no one. And no one truly respected Tom Riddle. Feared, yes, but not respected, and certainly not loved. It's why you're still as good as dead."

 _Incarcerous_.

The shade of the most feared wizard in Severus's lifetime fell at his feet, screaming, solid enough now to be bound in ropes. That was convenient, but not a good sign for Miss Weasley.

"I will never die!" the menace screamed. It was almost pathetic really, though Severus couldn't forget how fearsome this child had been. He had already killed a girl, Myrtle Warren at that age, hadn't he? Because Tom Riddle was, of course, the one who had opened the chamber decades ago. Severus had pieced that together ages ago, almost from the first mention of the diary. Anyone who had ever met Hagrid, knew it hadn't been him. Severus should have been able to piece together the rest earlier, perhaps in time to stop Miss Weasley before she made it down to the chamber that Severus had persisted in not believing existed. It had seemed the logical thing at the time. If only he had told Harry everything he knew earlier and they had stopped the girl from stealing back that diary…

The diary- that was a thought. The shade's power came from the diary. Severus spotted the book just to his left. "Sectum Sempra," he muttered aloud, not caring about his technique and wanting to add more power to the spell.

Barely a mark was left on the book, and that disappeared. Of course, Tom had made it difficult to destroy, but how sturdy could a book become?

The creature laughed, "I can feel it building, almost complete. The girl will die in a matter of minutes, and _you'll_ be to blame," the thing taunted. It would be partly right though, wouldn't it? Severus turned in a circle, mind whirling. He tried not to look at the girl who looked quite dead. She _wasn't_.

The menace would say when it was over, and then Severus could kill the thing then if he had to. Severus scooped up the book. It felt evil in his hands, but subtly. It was enticing, and he could see how children would trust it. Trying to tear pages with his fists proved equally futile. They would not tear.

The girl was going to _die_ and Severus could do nothing.

He would have failed Harry's trust, would have to look in Ron Weasley's eyes and tell him that his sister was dead. Severus had slain a basilisk, but couldn't manage to destroy a book. Severus's eyes fell on the basilisk.

Basilisk.

Basilisk venom was corrosive, could destroy almost anything. It was used in various potions... It could work. The beast's face was on its side, mouth hanging open from its last death cries. Careful of his own hands, but with force, Severus shoved the book onto the fang closest to him.

This was enough to puncture the book, and Severus was startled by the fluid that coated his hands, sinking into his robes. Not venom. He'd been careful not to get any on himself.

It- seemed to be blood, but Severus thought it was just a deep red ink.

"NOOOO-" Severus turned to see the shade, writhing, twisting in its bonds.

And then it was gone, vanished as the diary stopped oozing as much ink-blood as well. The puncture and the corrosive venom had made a hole straight through the cursed thing.

"Scourgify," Severus said, holding it by one clean corner. He'd need to study the book at some point. Severus slipped it into one of his dragon hide lined pockets, which would protect him should any basilisk venom remain on the thing.

It was over.

Severus felt tired and terribly old from the whole ordeal. Sitting, near collapsing, by Ginny Weasley, he reached out a hand and shook the girl.

"Miss Weasley," he said calmly, though his heart was still racing. He'd have barely accomplished anything if the girl wasn't still alive.

She was still there. He could breathe. The girl moaned and stirred, arms pushing her up slowly into a seated position beside him.

The girl's eyes flew over everything, particularly him and the basilisk. Severus was glad the shade had left no body behind to torment her. The little witch took in a deep breath and began to sob.

Another crying child strangely in his care. Hardly hesitating anymore, Severus patted the girl's back and awkwardly drew her closer, as if she were Harry.

"It- was me. I- swear I didn't – mean to. Riddle made me. Where is he?" the child choked out.

"I know, Miss Weasley. And he is gone. He was only a shade, a memory. I destroyed the diary, and it destroyed his form."

"I'll be expelled," the girl wailed, now fully into his shoulder. "I've wanted to go to Hogwarts practically since I was born, and now I'll be chucked out because- because I could have killed people and I deserve it!" he said loudly so near his ear. "What'll Mum and Dad say?"

"I daresay that they will be relieved that you are alive and not say much else. You will _not_ be expelled, Miss Weasley. Witches and wizards far older than yourself have been bewitched by Tom Riddle. Others he convinced until they went willingly to his service, but that is not you, child. You didn't know better. Do you know who Tom Riddle is, Miss Weasley?" Should he tell the girl?

"He- went to school at Hogwarts a long time ago. I don't know when exactly. Is he- still alive then?" the girl shook in fear again.

"He is not precisely alive or dead, I believe. He is the one that many call You-Know-Who, but his name is just Tom Riddle, and he is _nothing_ but a half-blood terrified of death, hungry for power, and evil enough to do anything to achieve his goals. He will not succeed though, Miss Weasley."

"Are you going to stop him?" the girl asked, sitting on her own now, wiping tears from her trusting eyes.

Oh, the faith of the young in their elders. He wouldn't ruin it for her, "Yes, Miss Weasley, I will do my best at least, and there are many more who will do so as well, I am certain."

"I believe you," she whispered, nodding. "And are you- sure I won't be expelled?"

"Quite sure, Miss Weasley. Now, I suggest you stand with dignity, and we shall leave this awful place. Agreed?" he said as he stood himself. He spared one glance for the body of the basilisk. It _would_ provide quite a few rare ingredients when he had a moment to return to harvest them.

The girl nodded and shuffled to her feet. He thought it better to let her stand by herself rather than helping her up. She didn't seem to have any physical injuries from the ordeal, and was steadier on her feet with each step she took, Severus only a pace beside her.

Severus led the young witch to the pipe he came down from. Levitating her carefully to the top, she shouted back down when she was out. With a faint smile to himself, he lifted off of his own feet and soared to the top of the disgusting sink, touching down outside of it. Miss Weasley was the only one in the room now with him.

As if the sink knew the passage was no longer needed, it rearranged itself into a sink. A quick point me spell in search of Professor Dumbledore directed him to Professor McGonagall's office, Miss Weasley still in tow. She didn't seem to be in immediate need of the Hospital Wing, and this was probably what the girl would need first, to hear it from the Headmaster's mouth that everything was over.

Upon opening the door, Severus found the two people he expected and two more who didn't surprise him.

"Ginny!" cried Molly Weasley, rushing to embrace the girl that Severus had directed into the room in front of him. The woman had been crying for some time, Severus could tell, and she didn't stop now. Arthur Weasley quickly followed his wife to hold his only daughter as well. The girl's mother spoke again, "You saved her, Severus! We- cannot possibly thank you enough. How did you do it?"

"I would like to know that as well, Severus. I believe we all would," Minerva said, smiling at him.

Severus settled on a brief summary, "Miss Weasley had been enchanted by a shade of Tom Riddle through a dark artifact" he began. Albus would know the significance of the name, and the others might as well. Minerva would at least, Severus thought. "The beast he released that terrorized the school was a basilisk. Neither the shade of Tom Riddle nor the basilisk will be an issue going forward."

Severus was jostled by Arthur Wealey momentarily leaving his family to embrace him, a strange sensation. Molly Weasley soon joined, dragging Ginevra with her, all crying.

"Tom Riddle?" Molly Weasley asked through tears.

"Lord Voldemort," Albus clarified, bringing a few gasps. The little group hug had splintered apart, to Severus's relief.

"But- how?" Arthur asked.

"His diary," Ginny was the one to answer. Severus hadn't planned on actually mentioning the book outright to all of those present. "I'm sorry. I've been writing in it, and he's been writing back all year, telling me things…"

"Ginny!" her mother gasped and commenced scolding her, Arthur breaking in as well. Severus could tell they weren't actually angry, just very afraid.

"I didn't know! It was inside one of the old books Mum bought for me. I just thought it was a mistake, left there by the last owner." Ah, in a book. Yes, from the altercation in Flourish and Blotts.

The last missing piece clicked into place for Severus, how Lucius Malfoy had arranged it all, terrible plan that it was. Severus had actually given his old friend too much credit that it would at least be a sounder plan that would not endanger Lucius's own child. In actuality, Severus doubted that Lucius had any real idea of what he was doing.

"Miss Weasley should be brought to the Hospital Wing for a brief examination," Albus instructed, "I believe that Madame Pomfrey will be delighted to hear that no more petrified will be entering her domain. There will be no lasting harm there, of course. As I understand it, in a few brief months, the Mandrakes will be ready to be harvested and Severus will brew the potion to revive them before the term is done. There will be no punishment, of course. She is not the first to be hoodwinked by Lord Voldemoret. There is no reason that the rest of the castle needs to know anything more about Miss Weasley other than Severus's brave rescue. Her kidnapping is already common knowledge, I'm afraid. Minerva, perhaps you could take them all and relay the message to Poppy, if you do not mind loaning me the use of your office to speak to Severus."

"Of course, Albus," Minerva said, though she looked back curiously as she ushered that portion of the Weasley family out the door, making Severus think of another Weasley awaiting news.

"A moment, and use of your floo?" Severus asked, Minerva nodding as she shut the door behind her.

"By all means. To inform Harry and the youngest Mister Weasley?" Albus guessed. How did he _always_ know? The man wasn't even using legilimency on him.

Spinning to a stop in front of the two tense, staring faces, Severus announced, "Miss Weasley is being taken to the Hospital Wing as we speak. She is unharmed. Your mother and father are with her," he added to Ron. "If you head there now, you should arrive not long after she does, and I believe Madame Pomfrey might let you both stay. The halls should be safe now." What time was it anyway? Had lunch been served? Had he actually taught a class just that morning?

The taller of the boys before him collided into Severus, arms wrapping in tight around Severus's middle.

Weasleys insisted on hugs quite often, it seemed. "Thank you, sir."

Severus patted the boy's head, and reached his other hand out to pat Harry's as well. Harry had stepped forward and briefly joined the little group hug, reminding Severus of all the ways the child had grown in the past year.

"If Madame Pomfrey does not shuffle you off to Gryffindor Tower, I shall endeavor to see you in the Hospital Wing after meeting with Professor Dumbledore. Thank you both for trusting me with this. I am very glad that- everything is alright now. Off you go," Severus dismissed them and turned to the floo again.

Upon returning to Minerva's office, he found that Albus was not alone in the room. Lucius Malfoy stood there as well, Dobby the house elf cowering in a corner, clutching a rag that might have been for polishing the man's shoes. Severus imagined that the elf came very intentionally so observe what his mater was doing at Hogwarts, even if the creature looked terrified. Severus actually felt a bit badly for the little creature that had caused him so much trouble.

"Oh, hello, Severus. So nice of you to join us. I was just asking Professor Dumbledore what he thought he was doing running this school if a little girl can vanish, perhaps even die under his watch. Before the end of the day, Ministry representatives should be along to take the likely suspect, Rubeus Hagrid, to Azkaban. I've called for Professor Dumbledore's suspension, of course, and just secured agreement from the other governors. I know Professor McGonagall would normally step forward to fill his shoes, but perhaps… other leadership could be arranged, Severus."

"Such concern for a Gryffindor student is admirable, Lucius," Albus admitted, eyes twinkling. "However, I do not believe such measures should be necessary. Miss Weasley is recovering in the Hospital Wing as we speak, and the source of the attacks has been identified and dealt with," the old man calmly stated.

"The attacks have- stopped? Who was it then?"

"The culprit was the same as last time, Lucius. Only this time, Lord Voldemort was acting through someone else, by means of a certain artifact, which I believe you in particular are familiar with."

"You dare say such a thing?" Lucius Malfoy responded, red creeping up the edges of the man's pale face. "You have no proof," the man huffed.

"Of course not, not after the item's disposal. Still, Lucius, I ask you to refrain from giving out any more of Lord Voldemort's possessions. I would not wish more of such interesting situations to arise," the old man said seriously with sharp eyes despite his easy tone. It was easy to forget at times that this was the only man the Dark Lord had truly feared.

"I do not have to stand for this. You will be hearing from the Board of Governors for your little performances. Severus, good day. Dobby, come," Lucius said, an attempt at a dignified exit, with the elf scrambling after him.

As Lucius left, Severus felt the weariness from the day hit him again. It had been difficult to see the teenage version of a man he once worshiped, and to destroy a mysterious artifact before one of his students died. It was a terrible day when disposing of a basilisk was third on the list of taxing activities.

"I see you have… connected the pieces, but here is the book," Severus said, taking the diary carefully from his pocket and placing it on the desk in front of him. "A likeness of a sixteen-year-old Tom Riddle came from it in the end. I was unable to destroy it by magical means before piercing it on a basilisk fang." The old man took all of the information easily, nodding along. "It appears to be harmless now, but I would like to continue to study the book."

"Of course, and I would like to as well," the older wizard agreed. "But perhaps you would like to see the children now though? A visit to the infirmary for yourself would not be remiss either."

"I'm fine," Severus maintained, though his mind did drift to wondering how Harry and the Weasleys were managing and if Harry had reached them in the Hospital Wing. "Good day, Albus," he said abruptly, scooping up the book and putting it back in his pocket. The old man wouldn't mind his departure. He'd give the book to the headmaster in a few days with his preliminary findings.

 **A/N: So, Tom's plan has been foiled, and the second term has barely begun. With Severus being more aware, and the trio a bit more responsible, I just couldn't picture this story arc lasting the whole year. And don't worry, even though Dobby is still enslaved at the moment, I have a plan for him before my story is over. Don't worry too much for the poor, crazy, often misguided little guy that we love! Let me know what you think will happen to him.**

 **Also, I have a half-way written plan about Lockheart, but I would really love some inspiration on that front.**


	28. Chapter 28 Normal

Chapter 28- Normal

*****Severus*****

It was strange, teaching class the next day after he'd battled a basilisk. Severus didn't even care about whatever his sixth years were brewing, and he usually felt at least somewhat engaged in his NEWT classes. He'd spent months in constant stress, ever since that elf had appeared in Harry's room. He felt like a whole year had gone by, at the least, but it was just the end of January.

This particular class was even less comfortable because Percy Weasley kept smiling uncomfortably and trying to catch his eye. If Weasley didn't pay attention to his potion, the usually diligent boy was going to blow up the room.

The boy had blatantly asked Severus several times in the last months about the cure for the petrification victims, trying to sound subtle. And he had heard from Poppy that the boy had been visiting the Ravenclaw prefect regularly, so they must have been seeing each other. Random curiosity doesn't have a teenage boy visit a petrified victim more than once. It's not like they are interesting after you've observed their condition once.

And now Severus had saved the boy's sister, cementing the boy's most irritating tendencies. Severus couldn't have actually expected his part in the ordeal to stay hidden from the Weasley family, as their parents were in the castle, and their youngest boy had seen him go. He hadn't even told Harry and Ron to stay silent. So of course by lunchtime the whole castle knew at least that he'd done _something_ , even if they didn't know the whole story. Everyone needed to be told that the castle was safe now, at least as safe as an enclosed space with hundreds of adolescent witches and wizards ever was. Being the focus of this… did strange things to his reputation and reception in the hallways. Only his Slytherins acted no differently, at least in his presence, and he wouldn't have expected anything else.

At least _this_ Weasley boy wasn't saying anything. The worst indignity Severus had suffered in years had come that morning, starting with the Weasley twins arriving early for their class. They were not the sort that arrived early for class. And the way they had manhandled his person when he could do nothing within school rules to retaliate? Was the entire Weasley clan set on hugging him within a 24-hour period?

 _"Thanks for saving Ginny, Professor," Fred had said, respectful in tone if not in actions._

 _"Yeah, and we're sorry for everything we've ever done or said against you, and we won't do it again." George had added. And then it was over, and the boys had set up their two separate caldrons at the table they used._

Severus would never admit it aloud, but Fred and George Weasley were by far his best potions students at the school, for all that they were only fourth years, and would likely be the best students he had ever taught by the time they graduated. Oh, they didn't know all of the techniques yet that his seventh years had learned over the years, but they had the same innate intuition that Severus had, that could turn the practice of brewing into an art.

All of his NEWT students were good, because Severus didn't accept anyone who wasn't. They were students like Percy Weasley who could rigidly follow directions. Students like that could go far. They could even attain Mastery level with enough work if they were eventually willing to experiment enough to innovate something with enough grunt work.

A precious few had brilliance in the subject, though that did not mean that it did not require work. The Weasley twins were even willing to put forth the work, in his class at least. He had heard other teachers bemoan that they barely scraped by passes, when it seemed like the pair was capable of doing as well as any of their three older brothers. Charlie Weasley hadn't exactly been a scholar, but he had been well above average for a Gryffindor. Severus had heard that the twins showed talent in charms and transfiguration, but almost exclusively received "Acceptable" marks.

To be fair, on their written reports, which were always identical, they usually received 'A's or 'E's with the occasional 'O' when enough effort and insight was put forth. In the practicals though, the boys hadn't received anything less than an 'O' since halfway through their second year. Severus hadn't even given them worse marks for the spite of it, which was… sometimes he had done before when dealing with irritating Gryffindors.

Their second year was when the boys developed their peculiar brewing practice. They worked together equally on two potions, one following the instructions in the book, and the other making adaptations to the recipe. Before then, they had made separate potions, both making modifications, which, as expected, often failed.

Even cold-hearted Severus Snape was too impressed with their results to hamper them by insisting they work independently. Anyone could tell that they contributed evenly and worked best together. He would not move them or force them to work with different partners specifically to stifle brilliance, even brilliance in young Gryffindors.

Recently, the boys had been feeling particularly confident and had been brewing two potions according to different inspirations rather than leaving one simply to book instructions. The pair had been half of the time utilizing one of his spare cauldrons (without asking) to have an additional experiment. As they still finished all three potions within the required time period without accident, and cleaned the cauldron afterwards, Severus did not find reason to object. It… didn't seem fair to expect them to buy a third cauldron when he had so many that he rarely used.

That morning though, the pair was only setting up their own caldrons, not the newest-looking equipment, but no worse than it had been in their first years, which was impressive considering what they had put them through. Perhaps hadn't grabbed one of his out of not wanting to disrespect him after he had saved their sister, but they could just ask…

Severus had sighed, _"Grab a third pewter caldron. Follow the instructions in the book for a control. In another, try altering the stirring pattern in the second phase of the potion, but otherwise following prescribed instructions. And instead of your next assigned essay, write about your findings. However long you need for a thorough explanation."_

 _The boys stared at him, "And in the third caldron?" George asked._

" _Whatever you want," Severus replied. "If you include those finding in your essay as well, I will give my impressions." He didn't presume to stifle their creativity entirely, just to encourage some detailed analysis. The grins that both boys wore as they both scrambled to grab the third cauldron were- memorable._

" _And unless you actually plan on writing different words on an assignment, there is no reason to force me to read two copies of the same essay," he told them. The shocked faces turned to grins again._

 _By the time other students arrived, no one would suspect the conversation that had taken place, even if it was strange to see the Weasley twins present in a class before necessary. Though Severus knew that they came to the classroom at other times. He suspected that they brewed creations entirely their own, but he somehow trusted these fourteen-year-olds not to destroy his classroom._

The sixth year students around him now were competent and uncreative enough that he didn't really have to worry if he paid them little attention. He did- enjoy the creative students more though. There was a strange little first year Ravenclaw, Luna Lovegood, whom Severus thought might also have the right intuition, but it was too soon to tell. She saw directions- flexibly, which was an early mark of the right qualities, but also the traits that made such students a danger to their peers. He wasn't sure if she would have the right temperament for the more volatile substances, though perhaps in a strange way, she would have precisely the right one.

At last, sixth year potions class was done, and Severus could escape Percy Weasley's eyes at least for the moment. He almost considered having dinner in his quarters, but he thought Harry might worry. He would have to face the Great Hall again regularly, as he had with lunch, and eventually the castle would lose interest. He hadn't enjoyed all the stares and murmurings at the noon meal though, and dinner promised to be worse.

*****Harry*****

Harry thought it was pretty cool to have a dad who basically saved the school. It was uncomfortable sometimes, because he got a few extra stares, but some of the older Gryffindors who had given him sort of unfriendly looks when it came out who his dad was, were giving him looks again, but nice ones this time. Everyone knew that one of their own had been missing (though they didn't know why Ginny was the one taken), and that Harry's dad, their potions professor, had been the one to get her back. He was still glad, as days went on, that he stopped getting as many looks.

Ginny seemed… okay, or better at least, Harry thought, but she didn't really say much around him, so he was never sure. Ron, and all of her big brothers really, were making an effort to spend a lot of time with her- maybe too much time, really. He caught a pained look from her once when Percy was talking to her, which inevitably turned into a talk about homework or something like that.

For the first time Harry felt like he could just concentrate on his classes and not have to worry about being new in school, or everyone thinking differently of him because who his dad was, or about trolls, or baby dragons, some mysterious package buried under the school, murderous teachers, or warnings from creepy house elves and petrified students. He just got to be a sort of normal kid going to a magic school with a dad and friends. His only responsibilities were to go to class and quidditch practice, do his homework, and see people who cared about him. Harry even liked most of his classes, except for Defense- and history.

*****Severus*****

Days turned to weeks with little incident after Severus left the Chamber. Harry came by their quarters more often, and Severus particularly enjoyed those evenings, especially when Dora also stopped in.

By the time Valentine's Day came, the adolescent habitants of the castle were too preoccupied with catching each other's attention to remember any of their previous terror that had come disastrously close to removing their Headmaster or worse. In past years, Severus would be prowling the corridors hoping to ruin some childrens' night. Whether this was for their own good or for his personal enjoyment had not been particularly important.

Tonight, Severus might just leave that to Filch and whatever teachers took that upon themselves. Many of the young little 'couples' had likely celebrated the weekend before at Hogsmead, which was a good idea in Severus's mind. Let the little hormonal urchins spend time in the town where they could feel 'special' but at least weren't likely to find some broom cupboard and make a foolish decision that could have various lasting consequences.

How many years did he have before Harry would start thinking about such things? The boy would be able to go to Hogsmead the next year, but third years didn't _date_ , did they?

"Severus Snape, did you buy me those chocolates for Valentine's Day?" And there she was. Severus hadn't even noticed when she had entered his quarters. He had grown so comfortable having her around. He chose not to acknowledge her question with more than a glance. He could resist smiling when he chose to. It was an altogether unnatural gesture on his face to begin with. Smiling was natural to all cultures for all of recorded time except for him- except sometimes, around certain people.

"Does there have to be an occasion?" he asked. He was nervous for her reaction, though he hated to admit it even to himself.

"Severus, they're _pink_."

"You like pink." She did like pink, didn't she? Her hair was even sometimes pink. Though now it was her natural brown, like it usually was around him.

"I do. And I _love_ them. So long as you bought them for me, and they aren't from some admirer of yours that I'd have to hunt down and straighten out." The idea that she could even joke that he might have some admirer made him smile. No one had _admired_ him in that way in his more than thirty years until she had.

"I bought them for you," he acknowledged.

"There, was that so hard to admit?" he asked. _It was_. She was opening the box already.

"Is Ginny doing okay?" Dora asked softly, as she popped the first chocolate into her mouth. Severus had filled her in on the details of his… expedition under Hogwarts the evening after it happened. She was a good listener.

"I haven't heard anything directly," he admitted, "but she has returned to classes and seems to be acting normal."

"Severus, _normal_ as you've known her is when she was pouring her soul into a possessed book. I'm hoping she gets to be better than just the same," Dora went on. She had a kind heart. The youngest Weasley's outcomes beyond her survival hadn't actually occurred to him much. "I'll speak to Madame Pomfrey, if you don't mind. Poppy was- very good to me over the years. She even arranged the head-healer for me after I was- assaulted in fifth year. I think it would do Ginny good to talk to someone like that."

"That sounds like a wise idea," Severus agreed, surprised that Dora would even ask his advice. If Ginny Weasley could grow up to be as strong as Dora- she'd be more than fine. Severus hoped she would. And here he was, hoping that a Weasley would be alright. "I believe she was the one who sent Harry a rather embarrassing singing Valentine today," Severus put in, smiling at the memory of when he received the story second or third hand from murmurings in the hall. He might have to ask Harry about it later to see the child's reaction.

"Oh really? Brave little girl then."

"It was anonymous," he reiterated.

"Still. That takes some guts. It's hard to do something sweet for a guy on Valentine's Day. Or for a girl. Isn't that right, Severus?"

"You're not a girl," he muttered. She was… an interesting young woman, whom he enjoyed spending time with.

"Glad you noticed," she said before placing a chocolate between her teeth. "Do you want one?" she asked, leaning into him and tempting him with the chocolate. Her annunciation only slipped a bit as her front teeth sank slightly into the sweet, some sort of pink cream filling leaking onto her lip. How could he say no to that?

*****Harry*****

Harry knew that he should have paid better attention to the Hufflepuff vs. Ravenclaw game last term, but it just seemed like there were other things on his mind then. He was determined to really study the Slytherin vs. Ravenclaw game though.

Silently, Harry was hoping Draco would do well, though he didn't want to outwardly support either team. Gryffindors just didn't support Slytherin, and Harry wasn't feeling like calling attention to himself. And he didn't really know anyone of the Ravenclaw team enough to want to support them.

Ron, sitting next to him, didn't seem to favour either side much over the other, and Hermione was only halfway paying attention to the game as it began. She even brought a book, but Harry had long since stopped being surprised by those things in his studious friend.

When the players went up into the air, Harry only had eyes for trying to find the snitch, even if he was just in the crowd. He spotted it in a few minutes by the Slytherin goal post, but neither seeker seemed to have seen the little golden ball.

After finding the snitch a second time, Harry started watching the seekers themselves instead. He hadn't seen the Ravenclaw seeker play much- she was new on the team this year, and Gryffindor hadn't played Ravenclaw yet. Harry was pretty sure she was a third year, mostly because he knew she wasn't a second year. Cho Chang, he'd heard her name called. He'd seen her around the castle. There weren't very many Asian girls at Hogwarts, and… she was very pretty. He was interested to really watch her fly though. She could barely fly a straight path around the pitch without a bludger or another player getting in her way this game though.

Terence Higgs. Harry had seen Higgs before and played against him twice now. He did tend to be the sort of seeker who would follow Harry around a lot. But today he was acting more strangely.

"He's not even _trying_ to catch the snitch," Harry said. "And he's not just waiting for her to find it. He's trying to distract her."

"Maybe he knows she's better," Ron offered lightly, tracking the movement of the quaffle, which did seem more interesting. It seemed like the game had barely begun, and Slytherin was already up six goals, and the Slytherin keeper had only allowed one in.

"Maybe," Harry replied.

Harry took a look at the chasers on both teams now. The last announcement from Lee was a goal scored by Draco, and Harry was sorry he'd missed it.

From what Harry could tell, Draco was doing well. And Marcus Flint, though he seemed just… big and kind of dumb, was showing that he really deserved to be Slytherin's captian. He brought Slytherin another goal, widening the margin to ten to eighty.

Adrian Pucey was talented as well. The three chasers worked well together, better than they had last term against Gryffindor. Draco was definitely better than whoever had been their third chaser the year before. Harry couldn't remember who it was, but the team didn't have a weak chaser now. And the Slytherin's new brooms definitely helped them weave around the Ravenclaw team. Maybe it had taken them some time to adjust to the different handling, but they were flying well in this game.

Their keeper had still only let one goal in so far, though Ravenclaw hadn't gotten to make as many attempts.

Harry noticed that the Slytherin beaters hit bludgers at the small Ravenclaw seeker more than anyone else on the Ravenclaw team. Maybe they just weren't afraid of the Ravenclaw chasers.

"They are good," Ron commented quietly. As a whole, the Gryffindor crowds were not thrilled with the game's progress.

Two hours later the game was still going. At least it wasn't as cold as it could have been at the end of February, and the skies were clear. Hermione had made them one of her fires in a jar, so they weren't too cold.

Lee was gloomily announcing that another Slytherin goal brought the score to sixty to two hundred, Slytherin increasingly more in the lead.

"If she doesn't catch it soon, the snitch will hardly even matter," Harry commented.

"It's sometimes a technique for professionals, to rely on the chaser line if there's a big enough talent gap, get the score so high that the snitch wouldn't win the match for the other team, but you don't see it too often in school. It's more of a seeker's game at Hogwarts, traditionally."

Sixty to two hundred twenty, with Slytherin more than one hundred fifty points in the lead, the Ravenclaw team was becoming reckless.

They rallied to bring the score to eighty to two hundred fifty after Ravenclaw managed some decent plays, but it didn't look like it would be enough to stay within range of the snitch capture.

"Is the Great Hall going to serve lunch if the game is still going on? What if it isn't over by dinner. Can Ravenclaw forfeit and end it now?" Hermione questioned, not knowing as much about a subject as her friends for once.

"They technically _could_ , if Slytherin agreed to end the game too, but Flint won't, and Ravenclaw wouldn't ask," Ron said as if the idea were offensive to the sport. "You can't just quit," Ron explained. "You even have to play down players if you run out of reserves. Though anyone can join a school house team if the team needs it, they have to be on the roster before the game starts. With the professionals, it's mostly the same, but contracts can get tricky."

Harry noticed his stomach reminding him that he'd like to eat again at some point. He never ate much before a game from the excitement, even ones he wasn't playing in.

"And I'm sure they'll serve lunch, but no one will go unless it gets really long. Professional games have gone on for weeks before. The longest ever was three months. Lots of substitutes used of course. The long ones always start like this, one team not wanting to end it. It's worse when the team with the good chasers has a really bad seeker, or their seeker gets hurt too bad and they have to use a backup chaser to seek or something. Teams usually only have one reserve seeker, and then they'd have to use a utility player to cover. Deliberate seeker injury is pretty common. Not that you should worry about that, Harry."

Injuring seekers made sense. Harry had always sort of thought that the snitch was worth too many points, that every game just turned out being decided by the seekers, but it was different to really see the importance of the chasers and the keepers. They Slytherin team didn't even seem to be really trying to hurt the Ravenclaw girl, just make sure she was distracted.

"So if the Slytherin team is so good, then it's a good thing that Gryffindor already beat Slytherin," Hermione said.

"Well, yeah. Except for with winning the Cup, it's cumulative points that matters in the end," Ron told them. Harry thought that Wood had explained it before. "If they end it with a score like this or worse, it'll put pressure on our team to score a lot of points, because yeah, we beat them by a hundred and sixty, but if they win this one plus the hundred and fifty for the snitch, and their last game with this many points, and if Gryffindor doesn't score a lot of points in our games… it could be bad for Gryffindor. That's why they'd do it- run the score up like this without going for the snitch early. It's to try to win the whole Cup," Ron said, thoughtfully.

Harry pondered what it would mean for their team as Ron spoke up again, "The Cup's been won like that before- where one team wins all three of their games, but another team takes the cup. But it's been a while. Why don't they have important facts like _that_ in _Hogwarts, A History_? Maybe I'd read it then. I mean, I'm not saying that History of Magic class should be _all_ about great quidditch matches, but the more important ones should really be in there too. It's a multi-million galleon industry, for Merlin's sake. And way more interesting than the rot that Binns goes on about."

Hermione looked doubtful but didn't object to Ron's claim.

Harry turned back to the game. He saw the moment when Higgs spotted the snitch at last. This was apparently enough points for them. The poor Ravenclaw seeker was getting yelled at by her team captain, as if it was her fault that they were down so many points. The Ravenclaws had been disorganized for the last several plays, and it didn't seem to be improving if their captain and lead chaser was diverting his attention to yelling at one of his players. And then the snitch appeared so close to Higgs that he couldn't have missed it. And he wasn't that bad of a seeker anyway.

"He'll get it now," Harry said, and a second after Harry finished speaking, Higgs gripped the fluttering ball and one fourth of the watching crowd erupted. The final score was ninety to _four-hundred-forty_ , which was… really high. Harry was used to catching the snitch fast and the scores wouldn't even be two hundred most of the time. That had never felt like a _bad_ thing before.

Harry watched the celebrating Slytherin team, crowding together on the field. Each member patted Flint on the back first. Harry had to admit that getting a score that high was a brilliant game tactic to follow up a first game loss. After paying respect to Flint, each Slytherin player turned and ruffled the slicked back hair of their youngest and smallest member. Harry's Slytherin friend didn't seem to mind.

Harry was happy for Draco to have been doing well on the team. And his dad would like that Slytherin had won too.

Glancing at the teacher's stands, Harry could see his dad clapping and Professor McGonagall walking away. The tiny charms professor who was also the head of Ravenclaw, was still talking to Harry's dad and didn't seem to have taken the loss too hard.

Harry followed his friends back to the castle. It was nice to have good friends and spend a day as normally as watching a quidditch game that Harry didn't even have the pressure of being in. And if worrying about scoring enough points to win the Quidditch Cup was the worst thing going on for him, that was a pretty good life for Harry. Wood might stress out and make them have even more extra practices, but Harry liked practices anyway.

There had been rumors when the attacks were still happening that the school might close, or in Wood's mind worse- that they might cancel _quidditch_. But thanks to Harry's dad, none of that would happen, and Harry could enjoy his favorite sport, probably the third best thing about being at Hogwarts after his dad and his friends. And Tonks was up there too, though Harry wasn't really sure if she counted with his dad or his friends.

 **A/N: Let me know what you think! I loved showing Severus's thoughts about other, non-major characters in my story, but I'd love to know what you thought. I always pictured potions being important to the Weasley twin's inventions and that they'd have the right intuition for it.**

 **And hey, everyone can have a 'normal' school year now that the danger's over and it's still winter, right? Do you think the normalcy will last? I love suggestions about anything, but I have finally written my scenes about Lockheart.**


	29. Chapter 29 Horcrux

Chapter 29- Horcrux

*****Severus*****

Severus stared at the old book of Tom Riddle's again. It seemed like just an ordinary, mostly destroyed book now. There was nothing mystical about it to explain how it had nearly destroyed the entire school. The thing could even be written in, on the small scraps of paper that were left, and the ink wouldn't disappear the way Harry had described it, which wasn't entirely surprising after it's thorough destruction, but Severus had wanted to reassure himself.

Severus looked over to his most private stores, locked in his own quarters. Behind that door was quite a large quantity of basilisk venom and all of the intact fangs. It had taken basilisk venom to destroy that damn book, which had to mean something about the way it was made, what protective enchantments were put on the thing.

Severus had been back down to the chamber once more, imitating the sounds that Harry made to gain entrance. He'd harvested the venom and fangs, as well as large quantities of skin and blood before… disposing of the flesh.

The venom would fetch a large price if he ever wanted to sell it, though it was a dangerous substance to allow out of his sight. For now, at least, he intended it for research purposes only. And he had been researching quite a lot with very little to show for it.

Severus glanced over at his new penseive, acquired at no small price, but worth it to not have to ask to borrow Albus's so often. He had been going over that interaction with the shade again and again, needing to glean something from that interaction. There was something there, he was sure. The thing had the careless speech of a child. "I _will rise again. Lord Voldemort is not dead. This, all of this, is only one small plan of mine. There will have been others. You would have known if you were actually one of my trusted followers_."

Was the shade in some way certain that his future self wasn't dead, even though he wouldn't have heard anything to that effect from the Weasley girl? Or was it only bravado? Had Lucius been writing in the book before passing the thing off to the Weasley girl?

Severus was also certain that the Dark Lord wasn't actually dead, after the madman spent so long making his mysterious safe-guards against death. Perhaps he had already been making them at age sixteen…

And how much of this, all of the trouble at Hogwarts this year, had been a plan made over fifty years ago by the real teenage Riddle? What was that purpose of this diary? Was it only to cause havoc, or was it more? 'There will have been others?' Other what?

Other diaries to cause problems?

Other protections against death?

Was that what this diary was- a reason that the memory of teenage Tom Riddle would be sure his future self wasn't dead if the diary was intact? And there were more of them? Was he reading too deeply into a few careless words from the memory of a teenager?

But no, Severus was almost sure that he was on the right track, and now he needed more resources. If he was lucky, he could avoid visiting any of his old friends to do that research. He would have to try. Severus couldn't afford alerting anyone like Lucius Malfoy. So far, he'd managed not to make an enemy out of Lucius, which was important for him to keep track of Draco. No, he'd go other places- search overseas if he needed to. He still had a few contacts that he trusted.

*****Harry*****

"Hermione, relax. Are you alright?" Ron asked their friend who was writing furiously on an essay that Harry had actually already finished. She did look rather panicked, and there was really no reason to, because the essay for McGonagall still wasn't due for another two days. It was just that Hermione usually had her assignments done at least a week in advance, Harry thought.

"I'm _fine_ , Ron. I just- I've been working on projects outside of school, and I can't afford to let my course work slip. If I can't handle my schedule now, how am I supposed to cope when I add all of the electives that I want to take? I want to take _all_ of them, Ron. And I'm falling behind already, just trying to balance some outside research.

"You're not falling behind, Hermione," Harry spoke up.

"Yeah. I'd bet no one else has even finished that essay yet," Ron reassured her.

Harry wisely didn't mention that he had finished the day before. He tried to put a little extra effort into his Head of House's class, almost as much as he did in Potions. He actually had a Defense essay due before then that he hadn't even started, but it was difficult to be motivated for _that_ class.

"It doesn't matter what other people are doing. This is not how _I'm_ supposed to work, rushing at the last minute to get work done. I've just had- a lot of other things on my mind."

"Hermione, it's not the last minute. And if you've got stuff on your mind, you should talk about it. We're here, you know. Or you can talk to a teacher if we can't help. I'm sure McGonagall would even give you an extension if you needed it, but you won't."

"Thank you," Hermione said quietly, turning back to her paper.

"Great. Now can I look at your Defense essay? I won't just copy it, I swear, but I can't read another word from that git today. What kind of person assigns seven books? And they aren't even text books."

"That's fine," Hermione said dismissively, handing her school bag to Ron without even a lecture.

*****Severus*****

A _horcrux_. Severus pushed the disgusting old tome that he had been reading away. At least he finally had a name for it. Severus didn't even think he had heard of the word before, and he had sunk into quite a lot of dark magic in his time. Never that far though. This involved not just killing someone, but using that death to split your soul and hide it in an object, binding yourself to this life by that object, so that the being couldn't truly die until the horcrux was destroyed. And the diary had acted like it had a large piece of his former master in it, albeit all teenage anger and bravado.

Everything fit. The teenage shade would be sure that his real self wasn't dead as long as the diary was intact. The book could have easily been made into a horcrux with the death of Myrtle Warren, perhaps Tom Riddle's first murder. And from the sound of it, Riddle had at least planned on making several more, something Severus was sure he had accomplished in the years since then. The man, if still Riddle could be called a man, had certainly killed enough people, done enough damage to his soul, relished in others killing as well. How much of a soul does a person need to still be a human?

Severus rubbed a hand over his eyes, feeling accomplished but overwhelmed. He'd need to tell Dumbledore, because he shouldn't do this alone. The thought occurred to him that he'd be telling Dora as well. She already knew that he was researching the diary. And- at some point he felt like he'd need to tell Harry. Keeping Harry sheltered hadn't worked in the past.

One conversation at a time, he thought, rising and walking to Dumbledore's office.

"Albus," Severus called, waltzing into the Headmaster's quarters uninvited. Good. The man was there and didn't have company.

"Ah, yes, Severus. You have some news on your research of Tom Riddle's diary then?"

Severus halted in whatever he was planning on saying, "And what brought you to that conclusion, Albus?" he asked, almost too tired to be curious about Albus's omniscient façade.

"You do not visit me often, Severus, unless it is at my direct request. And I do not think you are- forgive me for saying it, Severus- angered enough for the reason of your visit to be in some manner on Harry's behalf.

"The diary was a horcrux," Severus spat out. He watched Albus's eyes carefully. A slight raise in the eyebrow. Albus Dumbledore was surprised by life even less often than Severus was, but this was still… not as surprised at Severus had expected the man to be. Albus knew what the word meant, Severus thought. The headmaster simply looked... tired. Very well. It would save Severus explaining much further.

"I have reason to believe he made more than one as well," Severus carried on. "In my time in his service, he mentioned in vague terms the defenses he had made against death. Multiple defenses. The memory of Tom Riddle also alluded to that fact.

"Thank you for telling me, Severus. That is… troubling news indeed. May I ask for some time to consider this information? I believe I can procure some additional facts to help our search, if indeed there are more of these items to be found.

"Of course," Severus said, sweeping out of the room. He would need to make more plans of his own as well.

*****Severus*****

"You have something?" Severus asked tensely gripping the parchment from Albus that he had received earlier in the afternoon. Severus could only hope that it was productive news rather than an update on the vegetable students or an invitation for tea.

"I believe I have acquired a memory that will provide background on a possible horcrux. Two possible horcruxes, actually, but I have so far identified one likely location. Shall we take a look?" Albus offered, gesturing to the ornate pensieve in front of him, touching his wand to his temple.

Severus instead fetched a phial from his robes. He always had some, a habit from a potions master, and held the unstoppered phial out to receive the memory, "I have acquired a pensieve. I can examine it without taking up your time," Severus said. It was the diplomatic way of saying he didn't want to go into anyone's memory with the man at the moment.

"Of course, Severus. I imagine there are many things that you would like to do with your day. Say hello to young Harry for me the next time you see him. And, if I may make a brash, Gryffindor observation, Severus, pay particular attention to the locket and the ring. I believe one or both of them would have been likely marks for a younger Tom Riddle, perhaps created after the murder of his own father."

Severus had long since known that the Dark Lord killed his father. That he would make a horcrux from that death followed the man's gruesome logic, "Thank you," Severus said.

*****Severus*****

Damn old man. Severus should have known that something was strange when the old coot didn't even try to get him to stay and explore the memory with him. Unless the old man had spent a long time studying parseltongue which- wouldn't actually surprise Severus- neither of them would be able to discern the entire memory, but Albus could hope that Severus would have the means to do so. _Harry_.

The memory was of some Ministry official going to speak to some unpleasant people who spent half of the time talking in parseltongue. The early part of the memory was easy enough to understand. The Ministry man was unwelcome but entered anyway. He was there because the younger man had hexed a muggle.

It did not take brilliance or much foreknowledge to conclude that the family was related to the Dark Lord. Parseltongue was not a common ability, and it would have to be relevant if Albus gave it to him. The girl bearing Slytherin's necklace wasn't even needed, and Severus recognized why Albus would think it would become a horcrux.

The ring was also interesting. The elder man wore an ornate ring with geometric shapes on it, a triangle with a circle inside it, both bisected with a line. The sign of Grindelwald. It made a certain sense that the old man, grandfather of the most recent Dark Lord to terrorize the country would sympathize or follow the one whom had done so decades earlier. He had said that the ring had been in the family for generations, but perhaps the carving was a more recent addition? Severus would need to research that history more. Both piece of jewelry seemed likely horcruxes.

Even knowing who all the people in the memory would be, Severus's heart beat faster when some female voice from outside the house said, "Tom." It must have been Tom Riddle the elder passing by the house. Even if Severus couldn't understand the conversation that followed in the snake tongue, he would bet that the younger Gaunt had hexed Tom Sr., and he was somewhat surprised the muggle hadn't been dead at that moment.

Nothing else was discernable. There was the conversation between the family, ending with arguably the attempted murder of the poor daughter who would be the Dark Lord's mother, and the Ministry official objecting before the two men turned on _him_ at which point he fled. It was all very… interesting.

Now, what should he do with this information? He could at least offer Harry the choice of viewing the memory. He already needed to explain at least the bare minimum about horcruxes to the boy, and shouldn't put it off longer. Of course, Albus had told him to say hello to Harry for him. The infuriating old professor was always a step ahead.

*****Harry*****

"Harry," his father addressed him uncertainly. Harry had had a feeling that something was coming more serious than biscuits, tea, and cocoa that his father had invited him for, and Harry was excited and nervous to hear it.

"Yes?" he responded.

"I wanted to speak with you in more detail about more recent discoveries that the Headmaster and I have made about the diary that affected Miss Weasley." Harry already knew that Voldemort, who was once named Tom Rddle, had made the diary when he was in school, and that it was making Ginny do all of those things that she didn't have any control over. Of _course_ Ginny didn't have any control over it. Harry just nodded in response to what his father was saying.

His father continued, "It is something called a horcrux, and it is a very dark magic. I would like for you to keep this information between the two of us and the Headmaster for the time being, but we can revisit it at a later time. I do intend to tell- Miss Tonks as well." Harry nodded again. It was good that his dad had Tonks to talk to about stuff.

"A horcrux is- a protection against death, but it comes at far too great of a cost."

"Like drinking unicorn blood," Harry found himself saying.

"Yes, very similar to that in many ways. You- know more of dark magic and corruption than I would like a twelve-year-old to know," his father sighed.

"I can take it," Harry protested carefully.

"I do not even doubt that, Harry. I simply… wish that you had never been called to do so." His dad said words like that often to make Harry think.

"But… you're telling me now?"

"I do not think keeping you in the dark is likely to have positive outcomes, something I am slowly learning from the past. And I thought you might- be interested in a possible, safe way to help."

"What can I do?"

"We believe Riddle made more horcruxes, and the headmaster and I are tracking leads on them. The headmaster has acquired a memory that we could view in my pensieve that may give us more information, but some of the dialogue is in parseltongue." That didn't sound too hard, listening to something and translating it for his father.

"I warn you that it might be frightening. It is a memory involving… You-Know-Who's grandfather, uncle, and mother, but no one is seriously harmed in the memory."

"Okay, I'll listen," Harry said eagerly. Hs dad was putting faith in him to help out, so he'd definitely do it.

Harry listened as his father was explained the pensieve, which was one of the coolest magical objects he'd ever seen before. Minutes later, they were both leaning into the swirling liquid surface, and Harry found himself in a dark, unpleasant street in front of an even more unpleasant house. Harry tried to study the snake hung the door. It looked like it had been dead for a while- he hoped before it was nailed to the door. Surely if the people who lived there could talk to snakes then they'd be friends with them, right?

"He's speaking parseltongue!" Harry couldn't stop himself from bursting out when a man opened the door and started talking. Harry almost forgot that no one was really there except for his father, who was still right next to him.

"I told you he would be."

"But, he's not even talking to a snake," Harry said in wonder, making sure he was still paying attention to the memory around him. Harry had never heard another human speaking parseltongue, and when he spoke it himself, he couldn't even tell that he was doing it. But when the man was speaking it, Harry recognized it right away. It was different than when Salazar and Godric talked. It was even different than hearing the basilisk through the walls. It was as if he could hear the man speaking English, and the man hissing at the same time. Harry had only spoken the language himself to a snake, or at least to that carving of a snake. Maybe he'd have to practice later.

"What is he saying, Harry?" his father reminded him gently.

"Oh. He was just saying that the man wasn't welcome there," Harry translated. By now the older man was talking with the Ministry official, and they were speaking in English. "And now he told the younger one, Morfin, to get in the house and not argue," Harry explained. It was easier to discern the difference between speech with each word.

The two older men were talking about Morfin breaking the law with some muggles. Harry was pretty sure it wasn't just using spells around them either.

Soon though, Harry was only focused on Morfin as he spoke, almost a poem to a live adder. Harry recognized the poisonous snake, but the snake wasn't speaking back. Harry couldn't blame the poor snake. Harry felt sick, "Morfin said the snake would be good to him or he'd nail him to the door," Harry whispered. The snake that had been nailed to the door probably hadn't died naturally either. How could anyone be so cruel to something he could talk to?

"I'm sorry, Harry," his dad spoke, grip tight on his shoulder.

Harry tried to be distracted by a fourth person whom he hadn't even realized had been in the room. A woman. She had to be Voldemort's mother. She looked so… beaten down by life. She was trying to cook or something in the filth that served as a tiny kitchen. Merope. She had a name to him now too. And her father was very, very mean to her. Harry bet that he'd hit her or curse her as well as yell at her, if the Ministry man hadn't been around.

The ministry man, Mr. Ogden, was saying that Morfin would have to go to court for using magic around a muggle. And then Mr. Gaunt was showing him his ring, and dragging his daughter by the neck to show off her locket necklace, both just to show that they were an old purebood family. Except the old man didn't seem to care about his living family, or at least not his daughter.

Mr. Ogden finally said what Morfin had done, hexed a muggle to give him hives. Harry was actually surprised that it wasn't worse, but maybe Morfin wasn't very good at magic. The younger man laughed and his father hissed back at him. "He told him to be quiet," Harry filled in, remembering what he was there to do.

Everything in the room was disturbed when a muggle carriage drove by in earshot, complaining about the house and the family who lived there. Harry could tell that Morfin really didn't like those particular muggles. "His father told him to stay sitting," Harry relayed, though it hardly seemed necessary.

Harry quickly got caught up with the parseltongue conversation that followed, "Um, Morfin's taunting Merope saying that the muggle would never love her. And- and their dad is angry and asks Morfin more. Morfin said that she likes looking at the muggle. Her father asks if it's true. But Merope didn't say anything." That was pointless to mention, what the woman didn't say anything but… the man was so angry at her. She didn't say anything to defend herself or the muggle that she might like. Her father didn't even expect her to.

"Morfin hexed that muggle to give him hives so he'd be ugly," Harry whispered. Now the old man was physically attacking his daughter. "He called her a squib and a blood traitor, but we saw her do magic earlier, so she isn't a squib," Harry said quietly.

Then Mr. Ogden defended Merope, and Morfin attacked him, and he ran. Quickly, Harry found himself back in their quarters, surrounded by familiar stone and books.

"What happened to Merope?" Harry asked, trying to sound calm.

"I- do not know everything, Harry. The Headmaster would doubtless know more. I am- very sorry you saw all of that. It was- more upsetting than I had thought it would be seeing it alone," he apologized. Harry guessed his father was used to seeing stuff like that. "I do know that Merope was fine. And her brother and father both served time in Azkaban."

"She was Vo- was You-Know-Who's mother. Was that muggle, Tom, his father?" Harry asked, trying to piece everything together. That name fit, and Merope was… attached to him.

"That is right, Harry."

"How did- that happen?" Harry asked. The muggle didn't seem very likely to fall in love with Merope but… two people didn't always have to be in love to have a child. They didn't even have to get married first.

"Again, the Headmaster would know more, but I suspect magic was involved," his father said hesitantly. Harry nodded silently. He was curious, but he wasn't sure he wanted to know more.

"Those wouldn't be nice people to grow up with," he commented finally.

"Merope died sometime after giving birth. Her son grew up in an orphanage, probably better off than with her family." Harry nodded. He had often wondered if an orphanage would actually be worse than the Dursleys. And these people were worse than his aunt and uncle. Still, Harry didn't think that giving him more sympathy for the man who killed Harry's mother was what his father intended. He hoped that something he translated had at least been helpful. He was glad to know more, to not be in the dark about the horcruxes.

"So, you and the Headmaster are going to find and get rid of these horcruxes?" Harry asked casually.

"That is the basis of our plan, yes. We- have reason to believe that the necklace the girl is wearing, and the ring the older man was wearing may have been selected by- You-Know-Who."

"And will- these horcruxes have all sorts of dark magic around them like the diary that possessed Ginny?"

"I- have a theory that the earlier made horcruxes would have more of his- essence in them. I would not expect something quite so- strong in any but the first one made. But- there could be significant protections around the cursed objects, yes."

"I was scared that you were going to die," Harry admitted quietly. He was scared for so many selfish reasons that he didn't want to admit. He didn't want to lose him because Harry cared about his dad, but also because his dad cared about Harry. Being cared for was still pretty special to Harry- he guessed it was always supposed to be. Being cared for seemed pretty important to Ron too, and he'd had a lot more years of it. And- maybe Ron was right that he'd not go back to his aunt and uncle. His dad had told him that he'd never go back there but… what if his dad wasn't around to stop it?

"I know, Harry, and I'm so sorry for that. I don't want you to have to be afraid of that again. But, this is also something that really needs to be done, Harry." His dad hugged him slowly in a way that made Harry remember that he was pretty sure his dad didn't get many hugs when he was Harry's age. Harry held him back tighter.

"I know," Harry whispered finally. He didn't even ask why it had to be his dad to do it. It was just another part of his life. And his dad would be okay.

*****Severus*****

His couch was better when she was on it with him. Much better than the chair he used to spend his evenings in alone. She kept looking at him expectantly. Probably because he hadn't turned a page in a quarter of an hour. He had barely absorbed a word since she sat down, thigh brushing against his, long brown ponytail tickling his neck. Though she might have been interested in the somewhat gruesome defense text she had been reading over his shoulder, she would know by now that there was something on his mind that wasn't the book. She was being inordinately patient to let him get to it.

"You know I won't freak out with anything you say," she said slowly. That took longer than he expected, but he wasn't sure if he'd ever say anything if she didn't prompt him.

"Dora, if I were to- be unable to care for Harry any longer, I have it arranged that he would stay with the Weasleys until he reached majority," Severus said, throat dry. Those plans had officially been established an hour ago when he flooed over to the Weasley house unannounced, but they seemed to be flattered and not mind the intrusion. Harry would be looked after, "But I wondered if you would also… look out for him."

"Of course I would, Severus," she said, bringing up her arm and stroking her hand along his face. "Severus, what's going on?"

"I just- need to know that Harry will be properly looked after and- loved if something were to happen."

"Of course. I _love_ Harry. I don't see how anyone who's gotten to know him could resist his little charm. Now tell me what's _wrong_ , Severus. Is it worse than facing a basilisk? I feel like I haven't gotten the whole story there."

"The diary that caused the attacks at Hogwarts was a horcrux made by- Tom Riddle," Severus glanced over and checked for understanding and found none. "Made by You-Know-Who," Severus said feeling ridiculous but not wanting to call that man the Dark Lord anymore, as it held too much reverence.

She nodded slowly, "And a horcrux is?" she prompted again.

"A device fashioned by committing murder and splitting your very soul, placing it into an object," Dora looked appropriately queasy at the idea, but encouraged him to continue. "Until the horcrux, or as Albus and I believe in this case- multiple horcruxes- are destroyed, the creator will forever have a connection to this earth, keeping him in some way alive."

"And you and the Headmaster are working on destroying them all so that he can never come back," Dora surmised succinctly.

"Yes."

"Let me know how and when I can help," she said simply, staring him in the eye, raised brow almost challenging. He looked away first.

"I- thank you, Dora." That was not what he expected. He didn't want to put the young woman he cared for in danger any more than he would Harry. The knowledge that she was in auror training and he was undervaluing her abilities by attempting to shelter her was not lost on him.

"And when you go running off into danger without even _telling_ me again, much less asking me to come along, I'll still forgive you, at least a few more times. But I don't need to be protected, Severus."

"I know," he said, lips twitching.

 **A/N: So… horcruxes are discovered, and Harry's still twelve. Please tell me what you think!**


	30. Chapter 30 Hunting

Chapter 30- Hunting

*****Harry*****

"What'd you say?" Ron asked him. They were alone in the room they shared with the other Gryffindor boy in their year.

Harry opened his eyes quickly, "You mean it worked that time?"

"Yep. Just heard some snake hissings. It's pretty cool when I expect it, I guess."

"I said that snakes are cold-blooded reptiles. Something I learned from a book. I thought it might help to think about snakes when I try it, at least at first."

"Well, it worked. How'd you get this idea to try to talk parseltongue without a snake anyway? Not that it's not cool just- you know- no one understands you except snakes," Ron pointed out.

Harry hesitated, "I- heard about someone doing it and wanted to see if I could try. It was... something my dad told me about when he was showing me something else but I'm… not supposed to tell you everything… At least not right now. I might get to tell you more later…" Harry said hesitantly, worried that his friend would be upset that he wasn't getting the whole story. Harry probably should have just lied and said he just thought of it, but- that wasn't really something that he did, especially not to Ron.

Ron frowned but shrugged, "That's okay. Families have secrets sometimes. Weasleys don't really, probably because our ears wouldn't let us keep a secret too well," he said, cheeks and ears turning slightly red from the admission, "But- you should do what your dad says."

"Really? I mean, yeah."

"Yeah. He seems pretty good at secret stuff, and even dangerous stuff, so I'm sure whatever it is, it'll be fine."

Ron didn't even know what he was talking about, but it still made Harry feel better. He closed his eyes and tried speaking in Parseltongue again. When he really listened, Harry could tell that he wasn't really just speaking English. It was pretty cool. Later, he'd go see if he could speak English to Godric and Salazar, just to see if he could control it that way too.

It seemed like a waste to not explore a pretty cool ability. Maybe now that there was no more heir of Slytherin talk going around, other people could even find out and not freak out. But- maybe some talents were okay to keep mostly to himself and his friends.

*****Severus*****

Going through the memory with Harry hadn't uncovered anything immediately useful, and it had been an uncomfortable reminder of the similarities between the three of them- half-bloods with terrible childhoods. Severus didn't need to dwell on any of it. Two Slytherins and one who could have been. Three not quite orphans, but it had felt close enough sometimes. But, the rest of Harry's childhood would be better. The boy had needed to know about the horcruxes anyway, and the memory hadn't been too… damaging.

Regardless, of the lack of new information, the location of the old house hadn't been difficult for Albus to find, the residence of the deceased Gaunt family. No one else would want to live in the dank old place.

When he and Albus had arrived, Severus was surprised the house was still standing, if _house_ was a justified term for it. Severus thought even the term 'shack' would be generous. He had grown up at Spinner's End, and this still looked awful to him. There wasn't a snake on the door like there had been in the memory Albus had given him, but there were numerous large nails still splintering the wood of the door.

Inside was somewhat frightening. The higher surfaces that resembled furniture were caked in dust. The floor was covered in worse. Some window had been broken probably a decade ago, and it looked like various animals had enjoyed living in the place, though Severus couldn't spot anything large moving, he did see a few rodents and spiders. Severus disliked both.

Dumbledore had produced a glowing orb from what looked to Severus like a muggle lighter, but if it kept their hands and wands free, Severus wasn't going to complain about this particular oddity from the Headmaster.

They were looking for dark magic, most likely a ring or a locket. Detection spells found the source in seconds, and another spell lifted the floorboards that were blocking their progress.

Albus lifted out a little golden box. _That_ did not look like it belonged in this hovel. No, that was the mark of someone who thought they were too good for this place but wanted to leave something anyway.

Further diagnostic spells indicated that no enchantments were placed on the box itself.

Albus eased the box open.

The ring.

Severus could see detail that he hadn't been able to see in the memory. It was a black stone of some type that Severus didn't recognize, but he wasn't an expert in rocks. It didn't look like a fancy gemstone though. There were some geometric markings in the stone as well. The band was more elegant and made of gold. Albus was holding it now, moving it towards his right hand.

"Albus!" _Expelliarmus_ , Severus thought quickly, focusing on the ring. Albus looked confused for a moment as the ring flicked out of his hands. It came to rest at Severus's feet, just touching the toe of his shoes.

It was a beautiful ring. It would look better on him anyway. Severus reached down to pick it up-

Until he was flung halfway across the room. What the hell was wrong with him? Nothing. It was the ring. Of course it was the ring. It could be a pull from the horcrux itself, far stronger than anything he felt with the diary, or an additional curse placed on the ring. Severus looked up to see Albus, as far from the ring as he was, and maintaining distance from the thing as he stepped in an arc around it to reach Severus.

"My boy, I am glad that neither of us came alone tonight. Thank you." Albus extended a hand that Severus hesitantly accepted. The old man was stronger than he looked, helping Severus to his feet.

"Shall we try the basilisk venom?" Severus offered, retrieving a phial from his inner pocket.

"In a fashion," Albus said cryptically. "I had some inspiration while pondering on Slytherin's locket."

"Yes, Albus?"

"Well, it occurred to me that the school already had a different Founder's artifact that I would be much remiss to not thoroughly examine in case Tom had managed to tamper with it."

The sword. The sword of Gryffindor that resided in the Headmaster's office. Had Albus already discovered and disposed of a horcrux and was just now mentioning it? That would be ideal for their efforts.

"It was not touched by dark magic," the old man continued. Of course they wouldn't be so lucky. "But, I was pondering it in conjunction with the basilisk venom that you provided me with. The blade is goblin made, you know. It's an interesting thing about goblin blades. They are imbued only by substances that make them stronger. I have not yet discerned if that would make a goblin made item impossible to become a horcrux, or the best substance to make one from of all. Regardless, it has an interesting implication with Basilisk venom," he said.

And the crazy old man pulled the sword of Gryffindor, seemingly from out of his sleeve. The man liked a good show.

"So you turned an ancient relic into a poisonous horcrux destroyer?" Severus drawled.

"I thought it might be more effective than the acid alone. And easier to control. There would be minimal safety issues, unlike pouring basilisk venom on each possible item we find," the man said, eyes twinkling even in the dark shack.

"Then by all means, smite the evil ring with the near-holy sword." Severus was determined not to smile at the thought of the old man wielding a sword.

"Oh, I think I'm a little past the time for such things. I believe you have earned the honour, Severus. After all, I would have put the ring on if it were not for you, and I do not like to ponder what the ring might have done to me if I had."

"And I would have done the same thing a moment later. Just do it already, and we can leave. Or I can try just pouring the phial of venom over it."

"Won't you humor an old man, Severus?" he asked, holding out the bloody awful sword.

"I am the least Gryffindor student or professor to come through Hogwarts," Severus maintained stubbornly.

"Oh, I don't know about that. I seem to recall a young man rushing bravely into danger against a basilisk not so long ago. But I have known of your bravery for years Severus, even at times when you were still a student yourself. You know, I think sometimes we sort too soon.*" _Damn meddling old man_. He'd be hearing about fighting that basilisk for the rest of his life. Of course, old codger probably thought he was giving a great compliment. Severus simply didn't need to hear it.

"Fine. I'll do it if you stop insulting me," Severus huffed immaturely even to his own ear, but grabbed the sword anyway. It was a magnificent piece, though he'd never admit it aloud. He wondered if Slytherin had had such a thing.

One step closer and dread sank firmly just below his heart.

Another step and he began to wonder why he would ever want to destroy such a thing of beauty. The sword felt so heavy in his grip. Another step. All he had to do was put the ring on, and he _knew_ the world would be his. Why wouldn't he just lean down and pick it up? Why was he still carrying this heavy _Gryffindor_ sword? _He_ wasn't like the sword. _He_ was like the ring.

"Severus, don't let it control you," he could hear the headmaster call to him, "You're stronger than that. Focus on your occlumency defenses," the old man instructed. The damn old man was always right, so he probably was now. But the _ring_ …

Severus took a step back and his mind was clearer, and then another. This horcrux was very different than the last. The book had been protected by the shade of Tom Riddle, but this had a different defense. Subtle but no less dangerous. It seemed innocuous, but if either he or Albus were alone, they'd have put the ring on by now, and Severus felt certain that nothing would end well for a person who wasn't the Dark Lord himself who dared to wear that ring.

So he and Albus would keep each other safe. The old man would keep him from doing anything foolish, just as Severus had done for him. Raising every occlumency protection he possessed, Severus looked at the sword in his hands.

Shifting the sword to only his left hand, Severus gripped his wand in his right. He levitated the ring and then wedged it in the table that he was somewhat surprised was still standing. He positioned it so that he would be able to strike the stone solidly with the blade, feeling that the stone was the part he needed to destroy.

A step forward, and another. With occlumency barriers firmly in place, it was manageable for the moment. Sword gripped tightly in both hands, Severus raised the damn sword over her head feeling ridiculous as he stepped forward the last step he needed to come within range.

 _How could he hurt such a thing?_

Severus might have screamed in some mix of terror and battle cry as he brought the blade down on the cursed ring.

 _Pain._

When Albus was helping him off of the floor, Severus wasn't sure how he'd gotten there, but he thought he's hit his head.

"Is it done?" Severus asked. His throat was hoarse.

Albus picked up the ring from the floor. Severus absently noted that the table was halfway cracked and collapsed from the blow. The old man was going to try putting on the ring again. "Don't-" Severus warned, digging out his wand to spell the thing away from the old fool, but Albus evidently knew what he was doing this time.

"It's alright my boy. I no longer feel the pull. It seems our theory held true."

" _Your_ theory. I was in favor of pouring basilisk venom over it until it melted," Severus groused. If the spill was difficult to contain, it would be doubtful that more than a few birds and rodents who dwelt in the forsaken place would be harmed.

Severus sat up. Finding the sword still gripped in his hands, he leaned the thing against the broken table, unwilling to touch the Gryffindor relic any longer. There was a certain- satisfaction in having broken the ring, but it certainly had nothing to do with that sword.

Severus glances up to see Albus admiring the ring with cracked gem around his finger. The reckless fool would dare speak to _him_ about being impulsive. Albus removed the ring and held it out to him in open palm.

"Would you like to wear it, Severus? It is rightfully your prize," the Headmaster offered.

"No, _Albus_. I do not wish to _wear_ the thing that tried to kill both of us," he said wearily.

Albus slipped the ring back on and smiled, eyes twinkling. "We'll be off then. A rather more successful day than I feared. Very glad that I had your company, Severus."

Severus obliged in following him, a satisfaction in being thanked uncomfortably greater than that from destroying a horcrux. Still, it was quite an accomplishment to be examined when he was less exhausted.

Severus retired to his quarters for the evening, not commenting on Albus keeping their second destroyed horcrux. Severus still had the diary's remains if he found the need to examine a destroyed horcrux, but he doubted there was anything else that they needed to know about the things. Severus hoped that they would have more to add to the collection soon.

*****Ginny*****

Each day was a bit easier than the one before. She wasn't often having moments when she wanted to tell something to Tom anymore. _How could she have been so stupid?_ Talking to something when she couldn't even see its brain…

All of Gryffindor had been a little- smothering at first, wanting to know what had happened, especially her roommates. Ginny had never really bonded with the other girls in her dorm, but they were... pretty nice. After saying a few times that she didn't remember anything (which was even mostly true), she was pretty much left alone, and they just stared at Professor Snape a lot.

Professor Snape was really great about it. Ginny had been nervous about having class with him afterwards, but he wasn't any different in class than he ever was.

Her older brothers had always complained about Potions class, but Ginny had always thought that it was pretty good. He wasn't as nice as Professor Flitwick or Professor Sprout, but he was probably only as strict as Professor McGonagall, and all of the Gryffindors had to like her, because she was their head of house. Some of the older students had been saying that it was finding out that Harry was his son that made him not hate Gryffindors as much, and Ginny supposed that she could believe it.

Harry _was_ pretty great. She was spending more time around him because Ron was always trying to be around her every moment now, and Harry was usually wherever Ron was. She still couldn't really… talk to him, but he'd smile at her a lot. And the valentine she'd gathered up the courage to send him… hadn't gone too badly, though he seemed pretty embarrassed and never said anything about it later.

Ginny could tell that Ron really wanted to tease them both about it, but he didn't. Ron just told her awkwardly later that she should just _talk_ to Harry if she wanted to. Then Ginny may have sort of punched Ron in the shoulder and went up to the girls' dorms where he couldn't follow, but it probably wasn't bad advice- she just wasn't ready to take it.

She talked to Luna a lot. Or listened to Luna talk. Or just sat in silence with her there. Ginny hadn't really been spending much time with the only girl in school whom she had known before coming to Hogwarts, and resolved to make up for it. Maybe it was because they were sorted in different houses and didn't have many classes together or maybe it was just that… she'd spent a lot of time talking to Tom and not much time with real people. She was trying to do better though. And Luna was easy to be around. Luna had been through a lot more than Ginny ever had, losing her mum about two years before. And Luna was still doing pretty okay.

Ginny would go see Madame Pomfrey at least once a week, and she was supposed to start seeing a friend of Madame Pomfrey's who would just want to talk to her and see how she was doing. She'd never talked to a head healer before, but Madame Pomfrey said it wouldn't cost her family anything and sometimes it really helped so… she said she'd see whoever this person was. It helped that Madame Pomfrey said that Tonks recommended the woman. Or maybe it was a man- Ginny didn't actually know. But Tonks was a really cool auror who had made her brothers let Ginny fly with them last summer so… Ginny was willing to at least try it.

Between everything, Ginny was pretty much never alone, so sometimes she'd leave the tower after dinner to get a little time to herself. So long as she was back before curfew, no teachers would care. Everyone was just relieved that there weren't any more attacks, thanks to Professor Snape.

"Ginny Weasley," a voice she didn't recognize called her name. Sometimes she wished her big family wasn't so recognizable, but… she would never give up any of them. She turned around to see a blond Slytherin boy. _Draco Malfoy._ She gripped her wand in her pocket. She could do a mean bat bogey curse if she had to. Just because of Tom, she wasn't always just some… victim.

She brought out her wand and pointed it at him. Even if she was scared, her arm wouldn't shake. She had done a lot of thinking, even if she hadn't told anyone about it. Ginny was almost certain that Mr. Malfoy was the one that put Tom's diary in her things that day in Flourish and Blotts. He was there, and he had even touched her things. And cursed books from You-Know-Who just didn't end up in used bookstores. And her dad had always hated Mr. Malfoy and thought he was a... follower of You-Know-Who. In her mind, it all lined up.

Draco Malfoy took a step back, eyes wide and hands raised. "I didn't do anything," he said. "I just- wanted to say I'm glad you're okay. I- I'm friends with Harry, or at least, sort of. And Unc- and Professor Snape's practically my uncle and… I'm glad you're okay. Are you… okay?"

"I'm fine," she finally spoke.

Draco looked like he wanted to ask something else but finally said, "That's good. Um- are you lost?"

"No. I'm not." She'd been living in the castle for months, and Fred and George had spent a lot of time in the last weeks showing her passages that they hadn't even shown Ron. She knew the castle really well by now.

"That's… good. Goodbye then," the boy backed away a few steps before turning and walking away quickly. He hadn't seemed… too bad, Ginny supposed.

*****Hermione*****

Hermione Granger liked it when details lined up and her surroundings made sense. She had always enjoyed subjects such as mathematics, grammar, and spelling, but she also enjoyed a good book, occasionally good mystery book. She enjoyed solving the mystery before the protagonist did.

Her parents thought she hadn't been serious in her conviction that she could do magic- sometimes- usually when no one else was around. A girl of eleven was supposed to be past the age of believing in such things. But when nothing else could explain an event, magic was actually left as the most probable cause. It was simple logic, really.

When Professor McGonagall had arrived at her house with her letter from Hogwarts, it had been validation of everything that she had believed but not quite been able to prove for years. And then Hermione was able to learn a new set of rules and theories that went along with magic, just as she had learned rules in science, maths, and grammar.

But the wizarding world had brought so much more than she had expected. It had exposed her to prejudice and fear that she had only read about in history books. It was also another avenue for her to excel in, and she was quickly at the top of all of her classes. Eventually more important than everything else, this new world had brought her friends, especially her two best friends.

But there had also been mysteries, just like the novels that she still occasionally read when she found the time between her school work, extra readings, and her attempts to stay current on subjects that her former muggle peers would be taking without her. Just because she was learning magic didn't mean she didn't also want to learn calculus eventually.

In her first year, Hermione and her friends had solved the puzzle of what was below the floors in the forbidden third floor corridor. It was a real _Philosophers Stone_ , that could really make gold and elixir of life, and it had been guarded by a genuine _three-headed-dog_ , just like Cerberus out of Greek Mythology. And Merlin was actually a real wizard! Even she had had muggle friends to tell any of this to, they wouldn't have believed her anyway.

This year, there had been the mystery of attacks, but Professor Snape had gotten to the root of that before Hermione had gathered much data. But, she was glad that Ginny was alright and the ordeal hadn't lasted any longer, even if she hadn't gotten to solve it herself.

But, there was also the conundrum of one Gilderoy Lockheart, the world-renowned expert in Defense Against the Dark Arts who couldn't manage a simple _shield charm_. That was something that Hermione Granger wanted to unravel herself.

And now she held another needed piece, maybe enough to make her argument heard, a hand written letter from several thousand miles away. She had had to learn translation spells just to be able to solicit letters like this in the first place. Now she had a response back, and translated so that she could read it. Not enough to make an accusation in court, perhaps, but enough to end a career, she hoped. She still had quite a bit of work ahead of her, and she might not be able to finish it on her own.

 **A/N: I hope you liked this chapter. Two horcruxes down, and Harry's second year isn't even over! Also, I was feeling like Hermione wasn't getting much time in my story, so I gave her a scene from her point of view. And I thought her 'hunt' of the truth behind Lockheart went well thematically with Severus's horcrux hunt. I also wanted to give a little more closure to poor Ginny (inspired by a review a while ago), and every once in a while I like to shake up the perspective of the story.**

 ***From Deathly Hallows and one of my favourite HP quotes. I'm not sure that I actually like it applied to Snape particularly, but I do like it in general. I feel certain that I would have been sorted into a particular house when I was eleven, but would be sorted into a different house now, and I believe that is true of many people.**


	31. Chapter 31 Lockheart

Chapter 31- Lockheart

Wood pushed the team harder in the days leading up to the Hufflepuff match, but the rest of Harry's schedule hadn't been too hard, so he didn't mind. All of his classes were going well except for Defense, and Harry didn't really care what grades he got in that one. He was also still relatively sure that his father wouldn't care much either about how Harry did in Lockheart's class.

Oliver had been through his encouraging talks and was filtering through last minute advice before the game, "Don't forget to watch out for Jason Kenyon, Harry. It's his last year on the team, and he's their most talented player by far. I hear he's gotten better since last year, but that might be all talk. _We_ know you're better," Oliver repeated advice he'd given a dozen times before that day. "If we don't score at least two hundred ninety, we'll be behind Slytherin in total points, but we _can't_ afford to lose this game, even if we have to end it before then, so I'll be leaning a lot on you, Harry."

"I heard a Hufflepuff brag that even their _reserve_ seeker is better than all of the other house's seekers, so you have to beat him, Harry to shut them all up," Alicia put in.

"Their reserve seeker is the tall cute one, isn't he? Not built like a seeker- no offense, Harry. You're adorable," Angelina commented.

Harry wondered why Gryffindor didn't have any reserve players. It might be helpful sometimes. Quidditch was a pretty dangerous sport though, so maybe he should be glad that they didn't have a backup plan if he plummeted from the sky, so the team would just have to make sure it didn't happen. It helped that Harry knew that his father watched every game Harry played in with his wand already in hand.

When they game started, Harry forgot all of the pressures and enjoyed the flying and seeking. It was amazing to fly. Harry spotted the familiar twinkle of gold within minutes of the game starting. It could have been one of his fastest catches ever if he made it over there in time. But Gryffindor had only scored twenty points, so they would be over a hundred behind Slytherin's cumulative points… which was not where they wanted to be.

Spotting that Kenyon was wandering around the other half of the field, Harry watched his opponent for a few moments before Harry had to dodge a bludger coming at him. The snitch was gone when he looked back, and Kenyon hadn't seen anything.

Letting the Gryffindor chasers score enough points seemed painfully slow, even though Harry knew that the three witches were a very talented group. There was definitely something to be said for having the same team as the year before- each player knew all of each other's moves. And the Weasley twins were beyond any other coordination that Harry had ever seen.

The second time Harry spotted the snitch almost had him diving after it just out of instinct. It was so close... But Gryffindor only had eighty points. A glance at Kenyon showed that the other seeker was fixated on the goal posts as his keeper let in another shot, Harry thought from Katie Bell.

He might be a talented seeker, but Kenyon being the captain of his team was a mistake. Draco had once told Harry that Seekers didn't make very good captains, and seeing this, Harry had to agree. He was getting too distracted trying to manage the whole team. Harry couldn't recall if Kenyon or someone else had been captain the year before. When they played then, Harry was just hoping he could get through a normal game of quidditch without his broom being cursed like it had been in his first game.

Gryffindor scored their hundredth point as Harry lost track of the snitch again. How long was he supposed to wait? Gryffindor would be better off the more points they had, but if he just waited around forever, Kenyon would get the snitch eventually…

Harry must have seen the snitch at almost the same time that the Hufflepuff seeker did, and the older boy was closer. Harry's stomach sank as he soared towards it. He could have had the catch _ages_ ago! This was not what quidditch was supposed to be like.

A bludger sent by one of the Weasley twins forced Kenyon to change his course. Gryffindor was a full, talented team, not just one or two good players.

Harry had a chance. What was the score? Harry hadn't paid attention to the score in minutes. It couldn't matter now. Harry wrapped fingers around his prize and rolled to the side to avoid plowing into the opposing seeker. Caught it. _Caught it._ He could breathe again. What was the score?

Harry heard Lee's voice again, which he usually tuned out during the game. Gryffindor win, two hundred eighty to forty. Was that the largest margin they had ever won by in Harry's time there? It had to be. But it didn't even feel like much of a win.

As they landed, each player clapped Harry on the shoulder or the back. Angelina and Alicia gave him hugs. Even the slightly shier Katie Bell told him he did a great job.

"Great job closing out, Harry. You really saved us there. And Fred, that was a truly excellent hit," Oliver said, but he wasn't as happy as Oliver usually was after a win.

The Gryffindor crowd was in joyful uproar. They probably didn't know that even after the big win, Gryffindor would be only second in the standings. But still, it wasn't too bad, Harry though as he smiled at the activity around him. They were only ten points behind. That was surely something they could worry about another day, and Harry knew that Oliver would make sure that they would.

*****Tonks*****

She had run out of ideas of what to teach Harry, which was why she was currently sporting a pig snout that her pupil was trying to imitate. That's what happens when you let a twelve-year-old pick the lesson plan. But, in her defense, there wasn't exactly a curriculum about teaching a young metamorphmagus, and sometimes it was hard to think of new things, and she didn't want to stop meeting with him. She had never been a teacher before, or even a tutor, but she wouldn't pretend that she didn't enjoy it now, maybe especially the pig snout part.

"Can you turn _all_ the way into an animal like Professor McGonagall. I mean, not exactly like that, but with metamorphmagus powers?"

Tonks morphed her face back. It was hard to talk like that, "Nope, sorry. I've tried. I can't make stuff appear or disappear that I have or don't- just change size, shape, and colour. So, no adding a tail or feathers, or adding new bones or getting rid of old ones. Animals have way different numbers of bones than we do." That all sounded lame and disappointing.

Tonks tried to think of a positive spin, "But… I can have teeth as sharp as a shark's, or be hairy all over like a cat- because we humans already have tons of little tiny hairs anyway, and you just have to make them larger and more visible. And cartilage and skin- we can do just about anything with that, hence the pig nose," She morphed to the pig-like nose again and snorted for emphasis.

"So cool," Harry told her. It was pretty fun to impress kids, and Harry was the best.

"Now you," Tonks smiled, face fully human again.

Harry did it pretty well. He was really good at all this.

"What's next?" he asked eagerly, face back to his cute little self that looked so much like Severus.

"What do you want?"

"Shark teeth!" the boy replied instantly.

"Not _exactly_ shark teeth," Tonks corrected. "but you can get the shape at least. You wouldn't _really_ want shark teeth, because they'd keep falling out and new one's growing in forever. Sharks have something like ten rows of teeth at once, and they're always falling out. Have you lost all your baby teeth yet, kid?"

" _Yes_ ," Harry replied almost indignantly.

It can't have been long ago though, because she had spotted a tooth half grown in when he smiled. The kid was growing up.

"Of course you have. Now this is actually a good exercise in bone control, since teeth are just bones," she started a formal enough sounding explanation. "And it's a pretty good way to scare someone too," she said, revealing a smile full of sharp dagger-shaped teeth, she even made her jaw bigger to accommodate.

*****Severus*****

"Miss Granger?" he asked when it was clear the girl intended to stand by his desk until the room was empty.

"I have proof that at least some of Lockheart's books are lies," the girl told him in a rush. _Lockheart_. That was interesting. The girl was serious if she wasn't even calling the idiot 'Professor' anymore.

"Anyone on staff could have told you that he was a fraud within a week of him setting foot in the castle, if not before. But you say you have _proof_?" Severus asked, interested. If he had ever been able to bring himself to read the rubbish the man managed to get published, perhaps he could have exposed the git himself. It might have even been worth reading the rubbish books- but it seemed like the girl standing before him had already saved Severus the trouble. "And why aren't you bringing this to your own Head of House?" he asked.

Miss Granger pursed her lips, "Because you seem to- solve problems, and I thought you had a better chance of taking me seriously. And because the last time we- Harry, Ron, and I- brought a problem to Professor McGonagall, about the stone last year, she told us not to worry and to let someone _else_ handle it. But our education is _suffering_ with an unqualified teacher, and no one else is _handling_ it," the girl huffed. Oh, if the girl knew how much remorse Minerva harbored for not taking their news seriously, she would not be so hard on the old witch.

"Miss Granger, I do believe that if any of you three came to her again, Professor McGonagall would be considerably more receptive. She was- distraught after the incident of last year, and I believe would work diligently to- redeem herself in your eyes. You _can_ still trust many of your teachers, Miss Granger. It is all in learning to distinguish between ones like Lockheart and the others."

"Binns doesn't even read the essays we turn in," the girl blurted out. _Huh?_ Why were they talking about the ghost now?

" _What_?" Severus asked, feeling ridiculous.

"He doesn't even _read_ them, and I don't even try very hard anymore. I just write a few good sentences in the beginning just in case, and then sometimes I just write nonsense for about twice as long as the minimum length, and I get an 'O' _every_ time," the girl confessed, looking almost about to break down. Wasn't she here to catch Lockheart, not to unload her own guilt? And how long had _that_ been a viable strategy for History of Magic essays? _Would it have worked in his day?_ If Hermione Granger attested to it, it must be true now.

"Yes well, I suppose you shouldn't trust Binns either." This wasn't exactly the best thing for a teacher to say, perhaps, but it was honest. "I do warn you that for your OWLs you will have an accurately graded exam, so it would still benefit you to learn the material." It was true that History of Magic OWL scores were very low, and almost no one chose to pursue it at the NEWT level. Severus couldn't think of any of his Slytherins who had during his tenure as Head of House. Perhaps he should mention something- but that was not a conversation he wanted to start with Albus right now.

"Am I in trouble?" she asked nervously.

Why was the girl confessing to _him_ of all people, "Do you _wish_ to be? As I said before, I am not your Head of House. Nor am I your History of Magic teacher. I do state that such a tactic would not be effective in _my_ class. Now, you said that you had evidence against Gilderoy Lockheart?" Severus prodded to get the girl back on track.

"Yes, yes," the little witch said, eager at her task again as she deposited a sizable stack of papers bound together including- several hand-written letters, newspaper articles from several different publications and- pages of Lockheart's books actually _torn_ from their binding. If Hermione Granger would tear a book, she must be very serious, or simply willing to disrespect the man who wrote them.

"It was Ron who gave me the idea actually. He said that Lockheart wouldn't have time to save all of these people when he's always busy speaking with the press and selling his books, so Ron said he probably just made it up. But, I looked, and there were previously documented issues that he recounts in each of his books. _However_ ," she drew out, " _He_ wasn't anywhere near those places, at least at the times he says he was."

Severus found himself almost as eager to hear what the witch had to say as the girl was to share it. "When he claimed to have been sorting out some hags in eastern Russia," the bright little girl smiled, "He was _actually_ on a book tour in _North America_. He even has documented and reviewed the hotels he stayed at for their papers, giving the perspective of a 'visiting celebrity.'" _Celebrity_. The fact that _that_ _idiot_ wrangled an Order of Merlin (even if it was only Third Class) was an insult to their ministry, and Severus didn't even respect the Ministry to begin with.

The girl was still talking, "So, I figured out that he finds people who actually _have_ done great things in remote places, and he _obliviates_ them," the witch explained. "Sometimes he has to also obliviate other witches and wizards in the area, and he does that too if he has to. But I managed to find a witch who knew the person who actually dealt with the hags, and she said that her friend doesn't remember the incident anymore," Miss Granger recounted, shaking the paper that had been on top of her stack.

Severus was surprised that the man could manage something as difficult as obliviating, but perhaps every idiot is good at something.

"It's why I couldn't just talk to him alone, or he could just obliviate me too." Ah, so Severus was to be backup for this endeavor.

"And what do you wish for me to do, Miss Granger?"

"Expose him, I suppose," she said tentatively.

"I believe I will be able to manage something," Severus acknowledged, ideas going through his mind. "Thank you for bringing this to me, Miss Granger. Do you mind if I keep your notes for a time?"

The girl easily agreed and went on her way, smiling, wild mess of hair bouncing behind her.

The girl was right to not go alone. Even as confident as Severus was that he could outmatch the poor wizard, even he would not challenge the man in an isolated location. Severus would need nothing too complicated, and the more public the better. Finally, it would be nothing so immediate that might result in Severus being mired teaching additional classes.

*****Harry*****

"I am trying to speak in English," Harry said, staring right at Godric but trying to- not really talk to him somehow. It was the third attempt, but that time it felt right. There was no hissing sound in his ears at all.

" _Feeder sspeak_ ," Godric confirmed.

"Well done _, youngling_ ," Salazar commended. He was nicer than the younger snake.

"I sstill don't ssee the pointt of itt. Why would you sspeak to uss in feeder sspeak when you can usse the sserpent tongue?"

" _Did you not listen when he ssaid that ssome feederss are ssusspiciouss of thosse who usse the tongue like the one I am named for?"_ Salazar scolded. Harry could tell that Salazar had really liked learning who the portrait was that Harry's dad talked about that shared Salazar's name.

Harry thought that Salazar had always been pretty brilliant to notice that it was his name and the portrait's name was the same. But… had his father talked to the unmoving portrait a lot before Harry had come? Talking to his pet wasn't weird, even if Salazar couldn't speak back to him, but talking to a picture? They didn't even have any proper wizarding portraits in their rooms, which Harry knew was unusual for the castle. Harry hadn't considered before how lonely and sad all of that sounded.

" _Who caress about those sstupid two leggerss? They are not feederss. They have never fed me or any sserpent_ ," Godric hissed back. " _They will not sscare_ my _feeder, or I will_ bite _them_ ," Godric threatened.

" _I just want to learn how to control it_ ," Harry told them. " _I can even sspeak it withoutt a ssnake around now. Its's hard but-very interessting_ ," Harry said, reveling in how he was speaking parseltongue without effort, but knowing he could stop if he wanted to.

It was so cool to practice something just because he could, and not because he had to. It was like flying without the pressure of the games, or like practicing his metamorphmagus skills, because working with Tonks wasn't really work. Maybe when he was older, he could ask Professor McGonagall if she could help him become an animagus too. There were so many amazing types of magic. But having a whole language that almost no one could speak but that he could use with Godric and Salazar was _definitely_ as cool as changing the way he looked.

 **A/N: Please review! I had hoped to reach 400 review before posting this chapter, to celebrate that here, but I didn't want to delay the posting. Still, this is so many more reviews, follows, and favorite than I expected, I love the support!**

 **So in canon, Cedric Diggory wasn't on the Hufflepuff quidditch team until Harry's third year, and he was the captain that same year. I definitely didn't remember that until a reread. So, I threw in a little reference to him just because I wanted to.**

 **Hermione is continuing her quest to get rid of Lockheart, and she has enlisted the help of Severus now. I also wanted to have Harry working on parseltongue. I thought it was a shame in canon that he never embraced that strange gift because of the aversion from its origin and the general bias against it. The zoo scene was one of my favorites from the whole series.**


	32. Chapter 32 Mixed Triumphs

Chapter 32- Mixed Triumphs

Slytherin scored three hundred seventy points in their last match against Hufflepuff. It actually could have been much worse. The game followed the same pattern as Slytherin's game against Ravenclaw, with the team wearing green scoring dozens of times until the other team just couldn't keep up.

In the last game however, Kenyon caught the snitch in the end. Harry supposed that the Hufflepuff seeker just wanted it to be over at that point. All told, Hufflepuff didn't lose the game by much more than a hundred points. More importantly for Gryffindor, Slytherin didn't get to catch the snitch and score another one hundred fifty points to raise what the Gryffindors would need even further.

All counted, if Gryffindor scored three hundred eighty points, the cup was theirs, because they would be tied in points but had beaten Slytherin directly, which would break the tie. So Gryffindor just had to score three hundred eighty points… they just had to score more points than they ever had for as long as any of the current members had been on the team.

It seemed to Harry to be a pretty significant advantage to plan in the last game of the season, as Gryffindor and Ravenclaw always did. If one of those teams was in contention for the Cup, they'd know exactly how many points they had to score to win the whole thing. With enough points, either team playing in the last game could actually win, even if that would be very unlikely for Ravenclaw in this case.

Slytherin had had to score as many points as they could, and just hope that Gryffindor couldn't score enough in their final game to surpass them. In fact, Higgs might have had a better chance at getting the snitch if he hadn't been wanting his team to score as many points as possible first. Though Kenyon did seem to be a better at actually seeking from what Harry had observed.

Everything Harry was learning about Quidditch this year was so different than the year before. Harry had never imagined the _losing_ team catching the snitch, or teams scoring so many points that even winning all three of a team's matches might not be enough to win the Cup.

Oliver had reached new levels of obsession again; which Harry couldn't believe was possible each time it happened. At least the weather was pleasant as the month of May went on, including the morning of the game against Ravenclaw.

The big game. The biggest he'd had so far. To win the Cup. For Wood. For his team. For his house… But the worst part by far was that Harry absolutely couldn't catch the snitch until they had two hundred thirty points from their chasers, or it would all be for nothing. Until then, he'd have to be distracting and not let Cho Chang get to the snitch either. That was pretty hard to practice without another seeker around, and would be made more difficult because the Ravenclaw team would be well aware of what the Gryffindors were trying to do.

When Harry rose into the air, he felt like he had already forgotten everything he was supposed to do. In his experience, direction for seekers was always vague. 'Catch the snitch before the other seeker does' was usually all he really worried about. This year, he was supposed to stall for time- whatever that entailed. In the Hufflepuff match he hadn't had to put off winning for that long. It would probably help if he played against another seeker in practice. Why didn't they get a reserve seeker for him to practice against? _Why was he thinking of this now instead of asking Oliver about it months ago? Why hadn't Oliver thought about it and acted months ago?_

Gyrffindor took the early lead with the first goal. And even if the number of points Ravenclaw scored didn't matter much, Oliver would be on top form.

 _Chang_. Harry had to watch her. She was currently milling around the Gryffindor goal posts.

And the snitch was… halfway between them and a few meters down. Just perfect. Harry's heart beat faster, telling him to speed over, grab the thing and end the game. But he knew he couldn't and wouldn't do that.

Harry instead made his own casual circles near the Ravenclaw goal posts. He saw Gryffindor score their fifth goal already, when Ravenclaw hadn't made one. This was progressing far too slowly for his tastes. With a casual scan across the field, and Harry could no longer spot the snitch, something that made him both relieved and uneasy.

Minutes stretched on unending. Harry watch helplessly as Ravenclaw scored their first and second goals. Gryffindor was over a hundred, but it was not even halfway to the point where Harry could seek in earnest. He had already had to ignore a second spotting of the snitch.

He was _useless_. Couldn't he be doing something to help? Anything? Could he act as a fourth chaser, even for a bit? Or a defender before the keeper? He wouldn't know how, but he could have tried to learn. But trying anything now would just be getting in the way.

Fortunately, the young Ravenclaw seeker wasn't having better luck with spotting the snitch, because Harry was certain that she would have no reservations over ending the game as soon as possible.

If she _did_ spot the snitch, what was Harry supposed to do? Oliver was a little vague on his explanation there, and Harry hadn't wanted to ask. He hadn't been serious when he said things like "knock her out of the sky if you have to," was he? Practices had been focused on the chasers and beaters for months. Should he trust the Weasley twins to stop her? The pitch was a lot of area to cover though.

Harry's eyes were sharper than ever, but what good would it do him if he wasn't allowed to catch the thing. There it was again, taunting him, just a few meters above him and towards the Gryffindor side. In Harry's experience, players never looked upwards enough.

Now he had to worry about getting _away_ from the snitch, because Cho was sure to look over at him occasionally. Harry continued his circle, going towards the Ravenclaw side of the pitch, closer to whewre Chang was currently flying, before heading into a steep dive.

It was as much to do something exciting as it was to get her attention. She took the bait, diving after him. Harry flattened, letting his shoes catch a few blades of grass before heading back towards the other players, easily dodging a bludger during his ascent.

Glancing around, he saw that Cho came up shorter in the dive than he did, and wasn't looking happy, as she more narrowly missed the same bludger. But it had worked and Harry couldn't see the snitch anymore.

Diving was by far Harry's favorite piece of flying. It was most of what he did in practice, broom handling drills in as extreme conditions as he could simulate. Sometimes he'd practice on an inferior school broom just for the experience and a more challenging snitch catch. The most fun practices were when the Weasley twins would concentrate their bludger focus on him, like Slytherin had been doing to seekers on some of their matches. The Ravenclaw beaters were largely ignoring Harry though, probably knowing he wasn't really even trying to catch the snitch yet, so most of the focus was on the chasers.

To their credit, the Gryffindor chasers were performing magnificently. Harry had been certain that a bludger shot from just a few meters away was going to take out Angelina, but she managed to twist away to avoid it, not even losing the quaffle.

What felt like hours in, long after Harry had lost track of time, the score was fifty to two hundred, Gryffindor, lead. Harry idly noted that it was the amount of a snitch catch between the scores, though Harry was hardly thinking of this game on its own, but only as a way to try to defeat Slytherin. But what did happen in the event of a tie game? Harry didn't think that anyone had ever mentioned it to him. Probably it would just end as a tie for this one game, and Slytherin would easily win the cup.

There was the snitch again, this time just a bit to his left. Harry just couldn't escape the snitch this game when he didn't want to catch it. He couldn't tear his eyes away from following its quick movements.

It would be so _easy_ to fly over and snatch it from the air and end the game.

The _game_. Harry had to focus on the rest of the game. He was supposed to _not_ be staring at the snitch. Where was Chang?

 _No._

Cho Chang was coming towards his side of the field.

The snitch was still so close to him, but Harry couldn't catch it now. They just needed- _what?-_ thirty more points, and _then_ he could catch the snitch and win the Cup.

Harry had to move. Diving sharply to one side, completely away from the snitch.

It had to work…

She probably hadn't even seen the thing. She must have been coming after him and not the snitch at all.

No. She _had_ seen it. And she didn't fall for his diversion this time. It hadn't really been a very good diversion. And Harry was even too far away to catch the snitch now.

Cheers came from the all around them. Gryffindor. Then Ravenclaw. Then, loudest of all were cheers from the Slytherin stands, Harry thought.

He had lost. Harry hadn't even caught the snitch.

Gryffindor had scored just before the snitch was caught. That was the first cheer. Two hundred points to two hundred ten, a Gryffindor win, Lee was declaring, but the announcer didn't sound very happy for a close win of his clearly favoured team.

Because it- didn't feel like a victory. They had lost the cup.

Harry could have… done something. Anything different. They had been _so close_. He should have fouled her, maybe, but what if she'd fallen?

If he had just caught the snitch, they would have been... But it still wouldn't have been enough, or he would have just caught it.

Harry was the first to land, but the team followed quickly.

"I'm sorry," Harry let out, facing his captain. He wouldn't cry. Not now.

"Harry it- it's not your fault. You've done it all, kid, caught every snitch we asked you to. How many times could you have caught it today if you didn't have to wait for us to have enough points?"

"A few," Harry admitted. _Four_ , and he hadn't really even been looking.

"So it's not just you that needs to be better. It's not you at all, really. Harry, you're the best seeker in the school, and no one would deny it." Oliver said. Harry's throat was uncomfortably tight. "I'm- going in now. I- imagine there might even be some celebration going on. Three wins in a year is… something to be proud of," their captain said, though Harry was afraid the older boy was going to start crying any minute, and knew Oliver was just putting a brave face forward for the team. He didn't think Oliver would be part of any celebration. Harry certainly didn't want to be around a bunch of people when he still felt like he had let them all down.

Oliver spoke again, "I have the pitch booked tomorrow for our normal time. Come if you want. Optional practice. We're going to win it next year, and it starts with… not… sulking around now," Oliver proclaimed, though his eyes were red.

When Harry snuck up to his dorm room as discretely as he could, Ron joined him less than a minute later. Neither said anything, and Harry fell just a few minutes later into deep, restful sleep. He never even heard any of the other boys from their year arrive.

Every member of the Gryffindor team arrived the next morning on the pitch. By the end it was the most fun practice Harry had had in a long time, everyone on the team there because they really wanted to just spend some hours together playing the game.

*****Severus*****

It only took a few subtle remarks for the imbecile to arrange everything himself.

"Thank you, thank you, for coming here today," the irritating blond man spoke as it were a grand gathering and not a school of students eating, the majority ignoring him. There were a few members of various press present, most of which Lockheart had contacted personally. Only the witch from Witch Weekly looked completely interested in what the man was saying. The Headmaster could have delayed the arrival of food, as was customary for any speech, but the old man had chosen not to do so.

"And thank you, Albus, for allowing the use of the Great Hall for this grand occasion. I cannot think of a more fitting place for this _great_ announcement. For, when I took this position of Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, I only intended to stay for one year. Not- as the more foolish have alleged, because I was afraid of any curse on the position. It is well known that it has been a number of years since the last Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor has kept the position at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry for more than a year. But no, that had no bearing on my decision to stay just that year. I simply thought that the world needed me out in it, facing new dangers that needed facing."

"But in teaching, I have learned where I am truly needed most, preparing other young witches and wizards to face the worst parts of the world around them. In fact, this year, there have been dangers in these very halls, endangering our students. Luckily, the danger has been addressed and the students shall be safe. I will not _say_ that without my teaching those students would have been dead, rather than merely petrified, but that is not a risk I, Gilderoy Lockheart, Order of Merlin recipient, am willing to take." The man could drone on about himself. It was only a Third Class Order of Merlin, and the man had done nothing to deserve it.

"Today I announce that I will do what it has been so many years since a Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I will now _renew_ my contract to teach another year as the Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."

"And _why_ has it been so many years since anyone has done this feat, you ask? It may seem like a small task, signing a piece of paper to show my pledge to return to these halls to guide even more young minds next September, but I will tell you that it is no small matter. For there truly _was_ a curse on the position of Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, a curse that I have identified the foundations of and have now broken! And to prove that this curse is finally gone is yet another reason that I will be returning to teach Defense Against the Dark Arts at-"

"Who _deed_ you _obliviate_ zis time to take credit for breaking zis _so call_ curse?" spoke a strong voice from amongst the reporters. A tall woman, attractive young woman in old-fashioned black robes stood.

"And who are you with your- unheard of accusations? I am a citizen of this country who has done much in service of the world," the man fumbled out. The man was attacking a witch because she had an accent. _Perfect_.

"Newspaper vriter near village you say you save last vinter, you coward. Do you not zink zat obliviate leaves mark on people? Zat you could lie and not get caught? It only take some work to see zat all ozzer your books same. Stolen memories and lies!"

"This is preposterous! I- do not believe you were invited to this event, and I have never heard of your publication. My- body of work speaks for itself, as does the skill of my teaching, as any of my students will attest."

The man actually had the gall to look around the hall for those to speak up on his behalf. The fraud was sweating.

"Dunno, Fred. Do you reckon he's been a good teacher?" George Weasley piped up.

"Probably bottom half of the lot we've had for the class. What did he teach again? I didn't think I caught that bit. He didn't say it often enough."

"Acting class, I think. A very useful elective. He may look like an idiot, but he's a brilliant director, you know," George Weasley replied. Severus sipped from his goblet gingerly to conceal his smile.

"Your students do not even vant you," the woman sneered. Cameras were flashing over both of them now, and even on the Weasley twins, who of course didn't shy away.

"Mister Lockheart, what do you have to say about these allegations against your books and your teaching skills?" the witch from the Daily Prophet asked, paying close attention now, scribbling quickly, probably what the Weasley twins had said. Severus realized then that Lockheart had only invited witches to his little press conference. Did he think they would accept his shite as long as he smiled at them? The _audacity_ of that man.

"I- have no need to dignify such outrageous remarks. My publishers can confirm the legitimacy of my many feats, and- provide any corroboration that you might want."

Another voice from the Gryffindor table drew the attention of the room. "I have documented evidence that several of- Gilderoy Lockheart's claimed heroics conflict with his actual activities over the same time periods, as well as correspondence with witnesses that can back up this woman's accusations."

"Miss Granger!" the fool was actually shocked by that from the little bookworm. The rest of the hall was surprised too from the increase in murmurings. Severus continued to calmly sip his drink.

"It's true," the girl insisted, "And I have multiple copies made and hidden, and I can provide the information to any publication that will print the truth," she said, rising to her feet.

"The truth is always a worthwhile endeavor," Albus Dumbledore spoke.

Severus raised an eyebrow as the headmaster waved his wand and summoned that piece of paper that Lockheart had been chattering around. The idiot's contract for the next year settled in Albus's outstretched hand.

"In light of recent information, I believe it unwise to extend such an offer any longer. In fact, I believe your services are no longer needed, Gilderoy. We are indebted for the information, Miss Granger and Ms.-?" the Headmaster indicated the Russian woman.

"Yankova," she smiled politely at the old man.

"Thank you very much. Additionally, in light of the new lack of Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, I believe we can cancel that one exam from your schedule."

The press representatives were still scratching with their quills. Severus would never forget the look on Lockheart's face, gobsmacked and looking around as if still expecting someone to come to his defense. Yes, Severus was enjoying himself.

And if the Weasley twins started a chant for Hermione Granger, well, the girl probably wouldn't let it swell her relatively level head. A few Slytherins even joined in. Cancelling an exam for a class that evidently the majority of students hated was appreciated even by the more studious of the Ravenclaws.

The hall didn't even notice when the tall woman in old fashioned robes slipped away. There might have been a bit of extra magic involved.

*****Severus*****

"That was an interesting display you arranged, Severus." He couldn't even escape to his own rooms in the dungeons.

"And what makes you think I had anything to do with Lockheart making a fool of himself, Albus?"

"Come now, Severus. Though I am curious as to why. You did not even apply for the position this year. You _can't_ have been jealous of the man."

"He was a blight on the children's educations. I believe this institution is still masquerading as a school, is it not?"

"Of course, Severus," Albus said, undaunted as ever by Severus's manners. "Might you suggest a candidate for the next year? I seem to be in need of one yet again."

"That very fortunately is not in my duties," Severus smiled. "Perhaps Minerva has some insight. I only ask that it be someone who does not wish to kill my son and is not a blithering idiot. You might look outside of the country if it is such a difficult task. Someone who doesn't know the position's cursed."

"Severus, my young friend, do you actually believe that?"

Severus raised an eyebrow, "Find a sane man without a death wish to take the position, and I will believe whatever you wish. Otherwise, I will keep my thoughts to myself."

"Very well, Severus. Then I am very happy not to receive your application," the damned Gryffindor spouted. "I wish you a good evening mulling over your victory."

"If you insist, Albus."

*****Severus*****

Severus wasn't surprised to find Miss Granger waiting outside of his office when he returned.

"What can I do for you, Miss Granger?" he asked, trying to keep the weariness out of his voice.

"You found another witness, Professor? I had only been able to find a woman who couldn't speak English."

"The Daily Prophet doesn't want to write about a sixty-year-old Russian woman who can't speak English any more than they do about the poor woman of similar description from whom Lockheart robbed that particular accomplishment. I merely utilized a contact with adequate acting skills a true enough story."

"So you had her lie?" Hermione asked slowly.

"Yes, Miss Granger, I did." How would the girl react to that particular piece of information?

"But- what if there needed to be a trial?"

"Then my contact is an unknown woman with a false name, who does not actually work for a newspaper and is already back in her country, unable to be found to testify. However, with minimal effort you could produce a legitimate witness as well as significant written evidence. I dare say that by speaking up, you have multiple reporters writing to you for more information as we speak."

"So- the lying was okay? Do the ends justify the means?"

This was an interesting question from the young girl that Severus tried to weigh serious. "Not always, Miss Granger. But tell me, was anyone harmed today? Was any significant wrongdoing concealed?"

"No."

"Then perhaps the means were not so terrible that they need to be justified."

"Maybe… but… is that the way things work?" There was another question that he wasn't surprised by.

"I'm not telling you to do anything the way I do, Miss Granger. I daresay you are far too young to be so jaded."

"But it _did_ work. We'll have to have a new Defense teacher for next year. And that's what I wanted in the first place."

"Yes, it does seem to have worked, doesn't it? Largely thanks to your efforts. I had very little to do with it. Good evening, Miss Granger. I daresay a night's sleep would serve you better than a night of studying." The girl had too pronounced of bags under her eyes for such a young child. He was worrying about too many children.

"Good night, Professor." Yes, with fond memories of the idiot's face, it would be a fine evening.

 **A/N: This was one of the hardest chapters to write, but I thought it was nice to have Lockheart in part bring about his own shaming. And I thought it paired well with a difficult moment for the Gryffindor team. Please review and let me know what you thought, because this chapter was really difficult to get through.**

 **Fun fact, the actor who played Lockheart is also a rather well respected director in addition to being an actor. Perhaps most famously, he directed Thor.**


	33. Chapter 33 Moving On

Chapter 33- Moving On

*****Harry*****

" _SSsssssS_ " Harry tried tentatively. He'd been practicing by himself for weeks. It was sometimes difficult to fit in between studying for exams and dodging Hermione to avoid _more_ studying for exams. Practicing snake sounds was more interesting than most of his classes. Harry had gotten the idea some time ago after his father had told him how he had mimicked Harry's sounds for 'open' to open another door in the Chamber of Secrets.

" _Why do you ssound bad_?" Godric asked.

" _I wass trying to ssay 'Hello' without using my ability to speak parseltongue. What did it sound like?_ "

" _Ssort of closse to your greeting_ ," Harry's snake replied. He turned his back on Harry and slithered to the other end of his cage. He'd pretend that he wasn't interested sometimes, but Harry knew he'd be listening.

" _SSsssSs_ ," Harry tried again.

" _That iss better youngling. Tell me, why do you wisshh to do thiss... exssperiment of yourss?_ " Salazar asked.

"I jusst- want to ssee if I can do it for now, I guess. Maybe- maybe later I could teach other people how to sspeak to ssnakes too."

"Why would you wisshh do that?" Godric prodded, showing that he was still paying attention. " _You can already sspeak to uss. Why do you care for the other two leggerss? They are not feeders_ ," that was something Godric had brought up before. He wasn't especially fond of people that weren't Harry and his father. But since leaving the store, he had only really met Draco and Ron though, and he'd barely met them. " _They are sscared when I haven't even bitten them yet_ ," the small snake hissed. Harry was mostly sure Godric hadn't bitten anyone, at least at Hogwarts.

Harry knew he should make sure that Godric couldn't get out of his cage if he could bite someone but… It just seemed cruel to seal him in the cage with magic, like Harry was sure his father could. Harry had hated being locked up himself. But he also couldn't let his small companion bite anyone- firstly because he wouldn't want anyone to hurt his pet in return. Godric wasn't much bigger than when Harry had gotten him, but the person at the shop had said that the magic snakes grew slowly and lived a long time. Harry couldn't really see what was magical about any of the pets at the store, but he didn't ask.

Harry looked at Salazar instead. He really liked Godric, but Salazar was... easier to talk to sometimes, " _Becausse ssome other people like ssnakess too, and it doessn't sseem fair that only I get to talk to you. And maybe sso otherss wouldn't be sso afraid._ "

" _But the sscared two leggerss are amussing_ ," Godric said in a little almost whine.

" _It iss a good goal, youngling_ ," Salazar responded.

" _Thankss. I just want to practice ssometimess. It sseemss pretty hard_."

" _Any time, youngling_."

" _I'm not sso young anymore, you know. I'll be thirteen ssoon. A teenager. It- might not transslate well, but it iss important to two leggerss."_

" _To me, you will alwayss be a youngling_."

*****Severus*****

A pretty hand blocked his view of the potions journal he had been reading. And he had actually been reading in this instance.

"Our anniversary is coming up," Dora said almost singing. She had a very nice voice.

"Oh really, and what date do you track that by? The day you manipulated our wager into a dinner out, or the night of the aforementioned dinner that ended in the hospital wing?" He couldn't have joked about such a thing for months afterward, but Dora wasn't the sort that would take offense. Though that wasn't a night he would like to be reminded of annually for the rest of- for however long he and Dora were… companions.

"I track it by the night that you came bursting into my flat to kiss me, Severus Snape. _That_ was a good night, don't you think?" She could tease him more effectively than anyone.

"Yes, it rather was," he admitted. "And what is expected of an anniversary evening?" Severus asked, knowing she would answer. She was usually forthright about her desires. An anniversary of anything pleasant wasn't something he had much experience with, or any experience really.

"Hmmmm..." Dora mocked serious thought, "Dinner for starters. Dining here or out, but if the Hogwarts elves made it, it doesn't count. And as much as I love Harry, it's not really a date if we're not alone."

That sounded simple enough. Severus nodded, "I'm sure he would not object to an evening spent with the Weasleys, and they always seem eager to have him." Their anniversary by that count would be not long into Harry's summer break.

"Perfect. And then after dinner, we have all of Hogwarts, Hogsmead, or anywhere we can floo to choose from. Though I'd like to be dressed up fancy, so maybe no traipsing through the forbidden forest. Though, I could always just go change," she smiled.

"So, there is no pressure to plan something fantastic?" he said wryly. He wasn't actually worried though. Dora hadn't been disappointed with him yet, and she'd certainly had reasons to be.

"Oh, _I_ can plan it if you want. But we might end up swimming in the lake with the giant squid. Or better, going to meet my _parents_. Don't think I didn't notice your hesitance when I brought them up at Christmas. But I let it go for the moment. They'll love you, you know."

"Oh yes, all parents want their daughter to date a man they went to school with."

"Oh _barely_. It's not like you were year mates. And they are _not_ that shallow. After my mum got chucked out of her family for who she wanted to be with, I highly doubt she'd do the same to me."

This was a conversation Severus did not want to have, "I will cook you a suitable meal and then... plan a delightful evening," that was vague... What would they do?

"Oooh, you're cooking for me. Showing off your domestic skills that I clearly lack. Now I might never let you get away."

Severus's throat uncomfortable, "I rather wasn't planning on running." He was positively _impulsive_.

"Aww, Severus," the witch cooed. She always liked when he expressed such difficult sentiments. She treated it as if he were making a bold declaration of… love instead of saying a few fumbling words.

And then she was halfway on top of him on his lap, kissing him, stroking his cheeks with her soft fingers. She was a very tactile witch, and Severus didn't protest.

"You're still going to get dragged to my parents' eventually," she whispered and giggled before kissing him again. She wouldn't forget. But he would worry about it another time when he didn't have this witch's pleasant company to distract him.

*****Harry*****

Harry didn't really know any of the students who had been petrified, because they were all older years, but it was still a great day for everyone when they walked in for breakfast, the Hufflepuff girl and Gryffindor boy hand in hand, and the Ravenclaw girl walking briskly past them. There had been lots of rumors about the way the Hufflepuff girl and Gryffindor boy were found, and they probably weren't true, but the whole school definitely knew they were dating now.

"Did I tell you? Percy's dating that Ravenclaw prefect, Penelope Clearwater," Ginny whispered to her brother loudly from Ron's other side.

Ginny looked happier than Harry could remember seeing her, except maybe when she was flying. All of the students healthy again must make her feel better, not that it was her fault to begin with, because it wasn't.

Harry found Percy a few seats down from Ginny, looking at the Ravenclaw table as the witch sat down. Percy did always sit on the side of the table facing Ravenclaw, didn't he? Craning his neck around, Harry saw that the Ravenclaw witch also sat facing the Gryffindor table, and he was pretty sure she was watching Percy too. Good for Percy, Harry supposed.

"Did I hear that right, Fred? Our big brother Percy has a _girlfriend_?" George said, far louder than Ginny. Half of the Gryffindor table was looking their way now, including a red-faced Percy.

"I believe we did hear that right, George. Thank you for the information, Ginny, thought really, I think we should have heard it from our brother himself. Don't you think so, Ron? Harry? How about you Hermione, for a woman's opinion?" Fred asked them in turn.

 _Harry_. He was being included in the conversation right along with the Weasleys. And Hermione too.

Percy glared at his little sister just as much as at the twins, but she didn't seem to mind. But maybe- maybe it was good for Ginny to not be treated like glass, like the other Weasley siblings had been treating her for months.

"Hey, _I_ can give a woman's opinion too," Ginny piped back up, grinning.

"Nope. You're a _sister_ , not a woman. Always will be. Sorry, Ginny," George stated.

"See, Hermione here's an only child, and mature for her age, so she can count," Fred explained with a grin.

Ginny brandished her wand in a way that would be threatening if she weren't laughing.

Harry thought Hermione was blushing a bit pink, but she didn't turn as obviously red like Weasleys did.

*****Harry*****

Exams were terribly boring, but at least they were over quickly. Harry wondered if the students who had been petrified had to take the exams. It didn't seem right since they'd missed more than half of the year. Could the witch who had been petrified in early November really be ready to go onto the next year?

Harry was glad that at least he and the other students didn't have to take a defense exam this year. That was good, because Harry hadn't really learned anything about defense against any kind of dark arts this year except for the stunning spell and shield charm from their one dueling club class, and that had definitely been thanks to his father, not Lockheart.

Harry didn't really remember his first year exams very well, but this year's had seemed even easier. Maybe he was just doing well in most of his classes and hadn't had to worry about defense at all, or History of Magic really. At least, he hoped Binns wouldn't read this one. The ghost hadn't seemed to last year at least, though Harry did make some sort of effort.

Herbology seemed less like gardening for the Dursleys these days, and more like helping his father prepare potions ingredients or something. And the potions exam was easy, because Harry always worked so hard in that class to make sure his father wasn't disappointed.

Astronomy wasn't even that boring anymore. Harry still wasn't sure exactly what was so _magical_ about the class, that made it different than a muggle class, but he'd been trying to pay better attention in the subject after his dad told him about his grandfather liking the moon and the stars so much. Maybe magic would help them explore space one day. If the muggles could do it without magic…

Transfiguration and Charms exams were very similar to each other, doing some spells and answering a few questions. Harry did better on the spells than the questions, like always, but was sure he had some respectable marks. Ron felt okay about his grades as well, and the only one of them who was worried was Hermione, who would, of course, beat them in every class, Harry was certain.

Harry would miss all of his friends, but he actually found himself looking forward to summer. He'd probably get to see them a couple times, and probably Draco too. He never really got to talk to Draco during the school year as much. And he'd get to see Tonks a lot more, and definitely spend more time with his father that wasn't just class time.

After winning the Quidditch Cup, Slytherin had enough house points to win the House Cup as well. The Slytherins were really pleased, and none of the other houses seemed to mind too much. Harry clapped politely along with almost everyone else as the Slytherin table cheered. It probably helped the other houses' opinion of Slytherin that Harry's dad had the eternal support of the Weasley family.

Harry still rode on the train to see his friends just a bit longer, but he wasn't even a little sad this trip. Everyone else seemed happy too. Harry, Hermione, and all of the Weasleys sat in the same compartment, even Percy, though he did disappear for a lot of the trip, only to do prefect rounds, or so he said.

The twins only teased him a _little_ about sneaking off to snog his girlfriend.

"Just wait until one of you has a girlfriend," Percy threatened through his teeth, blushing madly.

"How do you know we haven't?" Fred asked.

"Have either of you?" Ron asked.

"Nah, but Fred likes Angelina," George piped up.

"Do not! That's you, isn't it?" Fred called back.

"Might be. Hard to keep up. So many pretty girls around here, aren't there, Fred?"

Percy stalked off, but Harry didn't think he was too upset.

The twins also came in and out of the compartment throughout the trip, off with Lee Jordan or other members of the quidditch team, Harry thought.

After the second time they left, Ginny stood up to leave as well.

"Where are you going?" Ron asked her.

"To see my friends. I have _friends_ you know," Ginny shot back, though her face was red. She left the compartment quickly, but was back before the train reached the station, along with the rest of the Weasleys. She still didn't talk too much around Harry, but she seemed to be doing- really well, Harry thought.

At the station, Harry received a hug from Mrs. Weasley with the insistence that he come visit soon, and a clap on the shoulder from Mr. Weasley. When Harry's dad walked up to fetch him, his dad also received the same hug and clap on the shoulder.

Going through the floo and arriving back in their dungeon quarters, Harry went to lie down in his own bed in his own room. So many people cared about him. It was good to be home.

 **A/N: Almost done with another year! To finish off year two, I have another bonus scene planned, this time about two different, non-main characters planned to nicely round off the year. Any guesses who they are? And thank you again for the support and getting me through another year of this story! The support has grown so much, and I appreciate every bit of it.**

 **I may need to take a break after the next chapter to make sure I have everything in order for the summer chapters, and then on to Harry's third year.**


	34. Chapter 34 Free for Summer

Chapter 34/ End of Year 2 Bonus Scene- Free for Summer

*****Draco*****

The Malfoy Manor had never been a… casual place to spend one's youth. Draco had never known any difference until going to Hogwarts where even the dungeons were less frightening than his family home. And then there were all of the things under the drawing room that Draco had known for years were sinister. The war that ended when Draco was just a baby was not something that either of his parents talked about, though Draco was astute enough years ago to know how they felt.

Narcissa Malfoy, his mother, was relieved that her immediate family could exist and be prosperous in peace. Draco knew almost nothing about his mother's first family. Draco had to be told when he was nine years old by Theo Nott that he, Draco, had an aunt in Azkaban, because Draco's mother had never talked about her sister.

After hearing that from Theo, Draco had brought it up to his mother directly when his father wasn't around, and she briefly said that she had a sister in Azkaban and another who had been disowned after marrying a muggleborn. The fact that he had a cousin was never mentioned. His mother's parents were both dead but… Draco had thought even then that maybe they weren't grandparents worth knowing if they disowned their own daughter… Draco was also smart enough to not mention those traitorous thoughts aloud.

Draco's father, Lucius Malfoy was… a Death Eater, even if the official story was that he had been Imperiused. Boys barely thirteen years old shouldn't even know what the Imperius Curse _was_ , but Draco had known about it since he was eight. He had seen the Death Eater 'uniform' hidden in the room below the drawing room. It was in a prominent place of importance, not destroyed as it would have been surely if his father hadn't _really_ been a Death Eater. There was only one cloak and mask though, so he decided that his mother hadn't been on too.

After Draco's first year at Hogwarts, the Malfoy Manor, his home, had felt uninviting. He would have never agreed to spend any time at all with Harry Potter at Hogwarts if he hadn't wanted to escape from his own home so badly. Now Draco found himself hoping he could visit again. Harry was… actually pretty cool, at least when Granger and Weasel weren't around.

After Draco's second year, the house felt like a place where he didn't belong.

His father, the man that Draco had spent his life wanting to be, had had something to do with the problems at Hogwarts, the petrifications, and the Weasley girl going missing. Draco had heard whispered half conversations the summer before, but he hadn't really made the connection until something brought his father to the castle the day that all the mess ended, the day that the little Weasley girl disappeared for hours and everyone thought she was dead.

His father was no longer on the Board of Governers after that day as well, so he must have done something terrible, because he hadn't even totally gotten away with it, even with the Malfoy name and money. But why would his father want anything bad to happen at the castle where his own _son_ lived? And the Weasley girl was even a _pureblood_ even if they weren't rich or well connected, even if they didn't hate muggles the way Malfoys did. Did _he, Draco,_ hate muggles though? Draco had never even met a muggle before. But… he couldn't really think that muggleborns were inferior could he, knowing Granger?

Draco was brought out of his thoughts by the squeakings of the house elf, "I is bringing you your dinner tonight, young master. Master is saying that there is not eating in the hall tonight."

Draco only nodded. Family dinners, which had always been awkward in his childhood, had been less common the summer before, so Draco was not surprised to start this break by eating in his own rooms. He still wanted to finish unpacking anyway, even though he knew he could just ask the elf to do it. Draco actually turned to see his dinner when the elf popped back into his room.

"Dobby?" he asked after a moment, looking at the little elf that had been in the house all of Draco's life. Draco had seen the elf look battered before, usually by the elf itself, but this time the little creature looked especially bad. "Dobby, what happened?" Draco studied the elf. He thought the creature shook more than usual, though it was always a jittery thing. The clumsy wrappings on hands, ears, and neck were more extensive than Draco had ever seen before. He saw burns visible on the small creature's neck.

"I is being bad and is punishing myself. Master, kind master, is adding punishments as well. Dobby is _deserving_ it, young master. Young master is having his dinner now, before it is getting cold," the little elf said, putting the tray on Draco's table.

"What did you do, Dobby?" Draco asked, wondering what the small creature could have done to possibly have deserved so much harm.

"Dobby is being bad and then not telling master what was bad. Dobby is deserving every hurt."

"Dobby, tell me. You have to tell me. I'm ordering you to," Draco insisted as the elf squirmed. Draco _needed_ to know what the elf could have possibly done, even though he'd never wondered much about the elf's various injuries before. Draco had even suggested that the elf punish itself- _himself_ more for minor infractions and imperfections. Now, those thoughts made his stomach twist. He'd never be able to eat the food Dobby had brought him.

The elf trembled but admitted his supposed guilt, "I is being the one who is telling Harry Potter that there is danger at Hogwarts. I is telling Harry Potter that he mustn't go to school but he is not leaving. I is punishing myself greatly and often, and Master is punishing me more because he is knowing that Dobby is a baaad house elf."

"He- what did my father do to you?" Draco asked quietly, hoping no one else in the manor would hear the shrieks of the little elf.

"He is punishing me good. With slaps and burns and the wand. Dobby is shaking and in so much hurt, but Dobby is deserving everything he is getting. Master is not doing it as often as when he is first getting home from the castle. Master is knowing that Dobby is responsible, but Dobby is knowing that Dobby deserving every hurt. Dobby is still punishing myself as well."

Hurt with the wand… shaking in so much hurt… His father was using the Cruciatus Curse on the elf, Draco was almost sure. That was something else that a thirteen-year-old shouldn't know about, but he did, even if he had never seen it. And this torture of the elf had been going on for months, it sounded like. The small creature was in worse shape than Draco had ever seen him.

"You don't have to keep hurting yourself, Dobby," Draco found himself saying. "He's hurting you even though he doesn't know you talked to Harry? To Potter I mean?"

"Master knows that Dobby is _always_ bad. Little master knows too. And now Master Draco will tell Master." The elf looked so scared.

"No I won't," Draco let out. That brought Dobby's eyes up to his.

"Dobby is a bad house elf, and is deserving punishment," Dobby said slowly, as if Draco was the one who was crazy or a bit slow, not the house elf who might wind up dead from all of this punishment one day. Draco swallowed thickly. The elf really might die from this someday.

"No you aren't bad. You've done everything you were asked, and you shouldn't punish yourself. And father shouldn't punish you. And I was wrong when I was a child to- to punish you too."

"That is the way it workses, Little Master. That is to be an enslaved house elf, Little Master, sir."

If Dobby stayed an enslaved elf, he'd wind up dead. "I- do you want to be free, Dobby?" Draco managed to say. This was a completely insane idea. The giant eyes of the house elf made him glad he said it for a moment before the creature started wailing.

"Oh yes, Master Draco. Dobby would very much like to be free. But Master would never let Dobby free."

Feeling that he was doing the right thing for one of the few times in his life, Draco turned to his open trunk and fumbled through it. "Shut up if you want me to help you," Draco hissed at Dobby. The elf silenced. Draco bypassed a few pairs of pants until he found a sock. That was innocuous enough. He turned back on the little elf that had honestly taken care of him through most of his childhood, even if it was silently and Draco usually ignored him.

"Catch," Draco said, tossing the sock at the elf, and watching as the little creature scrambled to catch the sock.

The little elf stared, wide-eyed at the sock in his hand, "Thank you, thank you, Master Draco. I is coming when you calls whenever I can be doing so to thanks you. You is a great wizard just like Master Harry Potter. Dobby is so happy to be free," the elf squeaked, throwing his arms around Draco's ankles.

"Shut up. You've got to get out of here before I have to explain anything, okay?" Draco hissed, dread filling him at the thought of explaining this to his father. He wondered if it would be better to tell an amended story right away or put off the inevitable as long as possible.

"Thank you, Master Draco. I is not worth trouble for you. I is here to help you when you need, Master Draco."

"Just get out," Draco said again, and Dobby the house elf popped away.

Draco breathed heavily, wondering at what he had just done. Draco Malfoy had never acted so independently in his life. And his father was certain to find out and be unhappy. Draco was already deciding what he would say- that it was an accident- a sock tossed to the side as he was unpacking that was retrieved, caught by the idiot elf.

Would that have been enough to free the elf without intending to? Draco didn't know much about freeing house elves other than that he had just managed it, according to the little elf. He knew that Dobby had done the laundry somehow without being freed, but that he was never to hand any piece of clothing to the elf, so Draco had always been so careful until that moment. _What was happening to Draco Malfoy?_

 **A/N: There, officially ending year two with the world as Draco sees it! I've had this bit planned for ages, and I hope you like it! Please take a moment to pause and review at this point! I will have another minor delay while I get everything together and have more of year three ready for posting. I am close to being finished writing the summer now, so you won't have to wait too long, I promise.**


	35. Chapter 35 Anniversary

Chapter 35- Anniversary

*****Severus*****

"Cooking in your _potions lab_?" Dora asked, walking into his space uninvited. Though wasn't that how she always was?

"My private work space is far more sterile than any kitchen. Any contamination between potions could be fatal, so I tend to avoid it," he said, perhaps a touch defensively. "It's perfectly sanitary."

"Well, it smells better than anything I've ever smelled in a potions lab," she commented lightly, leaning over the simmering white wine sauce. Severus notice her dress, a dark blue. She wore dark blue flats to match. She must have purchased additional pairs of shoes that actually fit her feet, because she was in her base form. The dress was lovely, high to her collarbone and with billowing sleeves almost like a robe, but revealing quite a lot of her back, which Severus stared at as she leaned over his cauldrons in turn. Her hair was up in a sleek knot that Severus would wager involved magic to stay in place, not that he knew much about hair styling.

"What fine praise," Severus drawled, knowing he should speak.

"Not _all_ potions smell bad. I thought it was a rather nice compliment."

"Whatever you say," he said, stirring the steaming broccoli if only to have something to do.

"You know, I should be ashamed in myself. I have not _once_ brewed a potion after graduating from Hogwarts? And it's not like I couldn't do it. I worked harder in your class than all my others combined, probably. But these days I've even bought potions that I _know_ I've brewed before without killing anyone. Maybe I'm just scared to try without you around."

Severus's jaw clenched, tense though he precisely wasn't sure why. They- generally didn't speak of the seven years when he was her teacher. He- tried to distance himself from that. Other aspects of her Hogwarts years were fine, but his class?

"Severus?" she prodded, nudging his shoulder. He snapped his head to her. "Good thing I didn't bring it up when you were actually brewing. So... what's wrong?" she asked with raised eyebrow. She knew what was wrong.

"Nothing." Because it was nothing. It was something he had come to terms with a year ago or he was a fool.

"You know I'm not stupid. I just wanted to mention it casually to see how you took it. I was your student, Severus. For seven years. But now I'm not. And I haven't been for more than two years. You didn't try to pursue me when I was your student, nor I you- though I won't say the thought didn't occur to me, because it did, numerous times in my last two years here. And Severus? It would be a shame for you to burn our lovely dinner," she said with a smile, hand running down his arm distractingly.

She was like that- so blunt, saying exactly what she wanted so say, but never unkindly. So far from being a Slytherin. She would laugh at him mercilessly though if the potions master were to ruin their meal, but would be happy enough going anywhere in the village instead.

"I don't believe I have said congratulations for Slytherin House for winning the House Cup," Dora told him as they settled at the table to eat. They sipped on her favourite wine. " _Again_."

"It's an ineffectual motivational system that depends too heavily on which house has the better quidditch team," Severus admitted. He would never say such a thing to anyone else. It felt like a betrayal to his house.

The witch only laughed, "Hufflepuffs have been well aware of that for decades."

"Yes, it has been a while since the last Hufflepuff House Cup victory, even though the house isn't often filled with behavior issues," Severus mentioned, thinking of Slytherin and Gryffindor feuds throughout the decades.

"Oh, I don't know about that," Dora chuckled. " _I_ was in the house after all. Hufflepuffs can be sneakier than you Slytherins would think. It comes from being constantly underestimated. Ravenclaws are misjudged too in everything not academic. But they throw the best post-exam ragers- to make up for all their studying."

"And you would have this knowledge how?" Severus questioned wryly.

"Oh Severus, I could change myself to look however I wanted, and you would expect me _not_ to investigate all of the other houses' common rooms? Ravenclaw's is the easiest to break into too. You don't even have to know the password, just figure out a riddle. As if the rest of us wouldn't be capable. And I've gotta say that the Slytherin room takes the motif pretty far. Skulls- really? Little kids live there. But they had the best post quidditch victory parties- of course, they usually had the most reason to celebrate during my years here."

She had been in the Slytherin common room? That sat less well with him than her visiting the Ravenclaw one. "And how would you feel if Slytherins invaded _your_ common room, say under the polyjuice potion?"

"They'd have to know how first, and no Hufflepuff would give up the secret," Dora declared confidently. "No one outside of Hufflepuff has been in our common room in the more than thousand years of the school- or at least that's what they say."

Severus couldn't say that he could refute that with certainty, but he felt the need to get in a little jab, "All of the Head of Houses and the Headmaster could floo there at any time. I could do so right now if I wished."

"No!"

"Easily," Severus smirked.

"Well, I will be quite mad at you if you did. That would be a terrible abuse of power," the witch pouted, but still smiled.

"Like you using your metamorphmagus abilities to sneak into _my_ common room?" Severus challenged.

"Well, I can claim that I was acting under adolescent foolish, which _you_ can't have claimed in well over a decade. And if they didn't want me there, they should have caught me. The _Gryffindors_ did. Of course, the Gryffindors didn't even try to kick me out, and Charlie Weasley handed me a butterbeer, if I recall. I only visited Slytherin and Ravenclaw a couple times anyway, and not since fifth year. My rebellious phase if you can call it that."

"If you wish to pretend that you hold the moral high ground on this issue, I shall not waste my time with an endeavor to convince you see otherwise," Severus offered, earning himself a glare before Dora burst into laughter. He loved the sound of her laugh.

*****Harry*****

Harry always enjoyed going to the Burrow. It felt about halfway between spending time with his dad and Tonks, and being in the Gryffindor Common Room. It shouldn't be too surprising, because the Weasley family made a fair amount of the noise in the Gryffindor Common Room. Even Percy and Ginny could be quite loud at times.

Between running around de-gnoming the garden, playing quidditch, and eating a very large meal prepared by Mrs. Weasley, Harry wasn't sad at all when the adults suggested that the younger lot head up to bed. Ron and Ginny weren't happy about it.

"Harry?" Ron whispered in the darkness when they had finally settled down.

"Yeah," Harry replied.

"I'm glad you're here but that you- don't have to live here. I- when we were waiting in your room for your dad to come back, I just kept thinking that if he didn't come back, then you could just have Ginny's room because… she wouldn't make it back either. And I'm just… really glad they're both okay."

"Me too," Harry whispered, throat tight, surprised to hear that from his friend who had sounded so confident at the time. Harry guessed some of that was just to make Harry feel better while they waited.

"I thought about it a lot at first, and then a lot again since I've been home. We- my family wouldn't be the same if we were missing someone. And… Ginny's doing really well. Sometimes we sneak out late and use the twins' brooms. Apparently she's been doing that for ages, but now sometimes we'll go together. And she's seen her friend that lives nearby a couple of times. She writes letters to a couple other friends too."

"That's great."

"Yeah," Ron said into the night, the Burrow as quiet as Harry had ever heard it, which meant there were still a few rattlings around somewhere.

Harry fell asleep to the creaking noises from the attic, or maybe from the rest of the house. He trusted that whatever magic held the house together would take care of them for at least the night. The place had a warm, comforting feel to it mixed in the night's darkness.

*****Severus*****

"Severus, if I haven't said it enough times yet, dinner was fabulous."

"Thank you."

"Now, where are we going?" she asked. They were currently walking towards the edges of Hogwarts grounds. It seemed better than flooing for what he had planned.

"Outside of the anti-apparition wards," Severus replied.

"And then?"

"You'll see," Severus maintained. It wasn't too late for him to back out and have them just go to a pub.

"It's got to be somewhere that there will be muggles, because I've never seen you out of your robes. I love your jacket by the way," she told him. He was wearing the brown jacket that he had thought she might like, the strange one that was intentionally patched at the elbows.

"Thank you," he said, ignoring the rest of her speculation.

The trip to the gates seemed much longer on other days when he was impatient rather than nervous of what was next.

Magically locking the gate behind them, he turned to Dora.

"Do I get to know now?" she asked, smiling. She was radiant.

"Close your eyes and hold tight onto my arm," Severus instructed.

The witch grinned and gripped him around the waist instead, burying her head into his shoulder. But she did close her eyes. It would be a more comfortable apparition this way anyway.

Severus studied his surroundings on the other side. No muggles. Good. He had had to do most of the set up in advance, and thought some muggle obliviation would really ruin the mood.

"Can I open my-"

"No," Severus responded, easing out of her grip, but leaving a hand to steady the witch.

No muggles in sight outside either. Good.

"Two steps," he coached, leading her outside of the tent flap.

"Severus, what is-"

"Open," he told her.

"Aaawww, Severus. A moonlit walk on the beach?"

"Clearly," he mumbled.

"Well, I think it's sweet," Dora told him, leaning over to take off her shoes. Severus didn't let her fall.

She was kicking up sand, ankle deep in undulating water, dress bundled up around her knees, laughing. Charming.

"Come on, Severus. Shoes off," she giggled.

Severus raised an eyebrow at her, but knelt to untie his shoes, wishing his skilled off as her did. But if he looked undignified kneeling in the sand, Dora wouldn't even notice.

"You'll get your trouser legs wet if you don't roll them up," she added.

Two cuffs later and his knobby, hairy ankles were showing, contrasting with his narrow, hairless feet. The water was chilling, but Dora evidently didn't think it worth using a warming charm.

It was worth it to walk beside her in the late evening sunset. It might not seem likely, because he spent most of his life in a castle dungeon, but Severus loved the long summer evenings.

"It's beautiful," Dora sighed.

"The sunset?"

"Everything. The water, the sun. The moon… I love it when you can see the moon when the sun is still out. Waning and waxing gibbouses are highly underrated phases. Everyone always think of the full moon, or a crescent moon, but I like a nice gibbous. What?"

Severus might have chuckled. This witch took joy in having opinion contrary to nearly everyone else Severus had ever met.

"What is your favorite color?" Severus asked instead, embarrassed that he didn't already know.

"I don't like to choose, so I don't," Dora responded easily. "I probably wear my hair pink or purple most." After a moment she laughed a bit, "When I was young, I'd say my favorite color was grey. Because no one else liked grey, and I felt bad for it. I wore my hair grey a lot until another child told me I looked like an old hag. That was a pretty bad insult at that age, and I didn't see other children often, so I never turned my hair like that again. Seems pretty silly now. You?"

"Black," Severus gave the expected, safe answer. But she hadn't done so with him. "Grey is rather pleasant. And- when I was younger, I liked red, before the color held such a negative connotation."

"We'll get you a red muggle shirt, and you can wear it strictly away from places where anyone might know you," Dora replied. It didn't sound completely appalling.

"You know, if you'd wanted a man with grey hair, you could have chosen a bit older. The children haven't done that to me yet," Severus taunted.

"Severus!" she shoved him rather hard, but Severus didn't mind. Unfortunately for Dora, while Severus was unmoved, her own balance didn't take the shift. She sat into the water with a splash big enough that her hair was wet, and Severus was feeling a bit damp as well.

She looked shocked for a moment- which really didn't seem worthy of surprise, considering the number of times per week she fell over herself. The next moment, she smiled, "If we'd gone swimming in the lake, I'd at least have been dressed for it," she laughed.

Severus didn't have to hold back his laughter then- half laughing with her, half at her expense. She'd forgive him, he knew.

A sudden wave that Severus was _certain_ wasn't natural soaked him a moment later.

So _that_ was the way she played. Of course it was. Severus was simply glad he had maintained the dignity of standing on his feet. But he couldn't bring himself to be upset as she crawled over, drenched, exposed back from the nice dress that he hoped wasn't ruined looking… quite enticing. She used his equally soaked body to pull herself up.

"I forgive you now," Dora said, burying hands in his damp hair and kissing him on the mouth.

The evening had been not what he had planned but… very enjoyable. Severus barely even remembered that he had thought the water was cold.

*****Tonks*****

"How was your date?" Harry asked her almost the moment she stepped out of the fireplace the day after their anniversary.

"It was wonderful. What did your father say?"

"I- didn't ask, but he seems happy."

"Well, it was delightful," Tonks said, smiling extra widely as Severus stepped into the room. "Your father can be quite the romantic. He made a delicious dinner, and then we walked along a beach in the moonlight. I even got him to take his shoes off. Isn't that right, Severus?" She would leave out the bits about splashing him with ocean water if Severus would.

"It was a very pleasant evening."

"Which he had to plan, because I told him if I arranged it, we'd be swimming in the lake or visiting my parents." Even if the evening hadn't gone altogether differently than swimming in the lake in the end. And Severus _would_ still meet her parents eventually, and Harry would too. Tonks didn't really dwell on it, but she had never had a boyfriend anywhere near this long. And this didn't just feel like having a boyfriend.

"Can you really swim in the lake?" Harry asked eagerly.

"Oh yeah, haven't you tried? I don't recommend trying to go much below the surface, because a few nasty things live there, but the giant squid pretty much leaves people alone. You shouldn't go by yourself, of course."

"I wouldn't. I- can't swim anyway," Harry admitted.

"Can't _swim_? Well, we'll just have to fix that. Severus?" Severus in swimming attire… She couldn't say she wasn't curious.

"Go right ahead," Severus agreed. He was not on the same page then.

"Get your suit then. And transfigure something for Harry, because I assume he doesn't have one."

"And I seem like someone who owns a swimming outfit?" Severus responded.

"Can we go?" Harry asked. That would get Severus to agree. Harry didn't ask for much.

"I'll be right back," Tonks called, tossing in powder and hopping back into the floo.

Right back, she had promised, tearing apart her drawers.

There. Now, what to wear to swim with her boyfriend… and his twelve-year-old son?

Not that. _Or that_. When was the last time she had been swimming?

 _Good enough_ , she thought, grabbing a yellow and black striped one piece. It was maybe a bumblebee look, but he never turned down some Hufflepuff pride. He threw on some black shorts for good measure. She only had to change her body a bit to fit into it well enough.

Harry and Severus were just walking into the main room when Tonks came back through the floo. _Good_. She didn't want to be that girl who dithered over clothing and took forever to get ready. She saw Harry first, running up to her. He was in red swimming shorts down to his knees, and had a green towel around his shoulders. She was pleased to note that she could barely see any ribs. He looked like a normal kid, not the half-starved little boy she'd seen after his first transformation.

Severus… Severus on the other hand had black "shorts" if they were short enough to be called that, falling past his knees, and a long sleeved black shirt. Dora smiled. How _Severus_ that was.

"Ready, Harry?" she asked.

"Yeah!" the eager boy replied, walking ahead of them towards the door, leaving Tonks and Severus to follow.

"I don't think I've ever seen anyone intend to swim in quite so much clothing," Tonks commented when they had exited the castle and Harry was running several meters in front of them.

"Says the witch who changed more than just her _clothes_ before coming back through the floo," Severus snapped.

Dora just grinned, "Why Severus, wherever are your eyes wandering to that you noticed such a thing?" She cooed into his ear- or more into his shoulder at her height. "I had to fit in the suit. Maybe if you're nice to your lady, we'll have to go swimming just the two of us, and I'll wear something else." She stepped away in what she hoped was a coy look, "You ready to start, Harry?" she called to the boy who was standing in the water up to his knees but shivering. "Let's get you a warming charm. The water will be cool for a while yet."

Dora turned back to Severus but forgot what she was going to say. He stood there, shirt still in his hands, arms folded over his stomach in protest, scowl firmly in place. It was sweet that he'd done that for her. She could see half of his ribs. For all the time he spent taking care of Harry, he didn't look like he spent as much time looking after himself. He had some scars too, a couple that Tonks was curious about the stories behind. But, he wasn't nearly as bad off as Mad-Eye. Moody liked to show off his battle scars to new recruits to scare away those with weaker constitutions; it was a method that produced results. She smiled encouragingly, "Come on, Severus. You get in the water too."

Severus sighed and shook his head, but stepped forward and cast the warming charms before returning his wand to his shorts pocket. She was sure that he had some protection around it there. She should really take a lesson from him and have her wand on her at all times but… they'd be okay with him watching. In that time, with his arms unfolded, Tonks got a look at his Dark Mark. She'd seen others before. It was a light pink, only a shade darker than Severus's pale skin. It was faded, looking more like a scar than a tattoo. Tonks knew that this had happened after the fall of You-Know-Who. She knew his past. It wasn't a surprise.

"Alright, Harry, now I've never taught anyone to swim before, but I do remember when my dad taught me. I wasn't too much younger than you," she'd been nine, and Harry's was nearly thirteen, but close enough. "He'd put off teaching me for years, convinced I'd mess up and drown- can't imagine what would give him that idea. But it's not too hard."

Harry listened raptly to her every word. And she was quick enough to catch a smile on Severus's face. Those are the things that perfect days are made of.

 **A/N: I'm honestly not that happy with parts of this chapter, but I knew it was a time I didn't want to skip, and I felt like I needed to get a chapter out. I'm going back to posting weekly, so please send some encouragement! I had some fun with the last bit, imagining more in Tonks's mind.**


	36. Chapter 36 New Lessons

Chapter 36-New Lessons

*****Severus*****

"Harry, I would like to begin focused work with you this summer on basic defense, given the appalling quality of Defense professors you have had in the last two years. Do you have any specific requests on what you would like to learn or when you would like these lessons to take place?" It was long overdue. The other students, especially Harry's friends, would need additional instruction too but he didn't have time to teach two subjects, and frankly he didn't want to go near the Defense Against the Dark Arts position at least until someone else made it more than a year.

"Um- will it just be book work?" the child asked uneasily. "Because I can't do spell work in the summer, right?" Of course no child liked the idea of more course work.

"The Ministry's trace doesn't work wherever there are able adult wizards in the vicinity. It would not decipher your magic usage from my own or anyone else's in the castle."

Harry's mouth hung open for a moment before it turned to a frown, "So- purebloods and halfbloods can do magic in the summers? But… no one does at the Burrow. And- and isn't that really unfair for the muggleborns?"

 _Of course it was unfair._ "Pureblood and half-blood families who intend to follow the law tend to not tell their offspring about the gaping hole in the Ministry's oversight, but I can't imagine that Fred and George Weasley haven't tried it themselves and seen that they received no missive from the Ministry. They likely do not allow their parents to be the wiser though."

"But- you don't think it's important to follow the law? This law, I mean?"

"In this case, I do not. It is unfortunate that muggleborn and muggle-raised students do not have the opportunity to practice in the summer, but they also do not have a qualified witch or wizard to watch over them if complications were to occur. I wouldn't find many wizarding parents to be competent enough to deal with their own offspring, and the infrastructure does not exist to support optional classes for muggleborns in the summers, nor would many of their parents wish to be parted from their children for longer." But it still wasn't fair.

But Severus couldn't worry about what was fair with a child to protect, so he continued, " _You_ , however, have multiple competent instructors available, as Dora has expressed a wish to help as well. And this training is particularly important for you, as you have been in numerous dangerous situations with no training in defense to speak of, which we will attempt to correct. However, with a summer's worth of instruction, you should not become overconfident or reckless." Giving the boy the false confidence that he could handle anything could be more dangerous than not training him at all. "Does that... seem acceptable to you, Harry?"

"Er- yeah, that sounds great," the child admitted brightly. "I think I'd like Defense if the teachers weren't so..."

"Laughable," Severus supplied, which was rather generous for what he actually thought about the two men Harry had the displeasure of 'learning' from in that subject.

"Yeah."

"Do you- have any particular requests, Harry?"

"Um- whenever is good, and maybe some dueling?"

"That could easily be arranged," Severus promised, pondering over the vague lessons he had sketched out in his mind. He almost missed it when Harry gave him a swift hug, barely patting the child on his shoulder before Harry scurried off, this time to Severus's labs, of course to talk to the snakes.

*****Harry*****

"Tonks! Dad's going to teach me defense stuff, and he said you might want to help. Will you?" Harry asked excitedly as soon as she arrived the evening after Harry's dad had first brought up training. Harry only felt a little silly when his father stepped into the room a moment later.

"Of course, kid. That's something I wish I had at your age. Might have helped me with auror training. But I guess I did okay without it because… I just passed!" she squealed the ending.

"Really? You're done with auror training?" Harry asked eagerly. Being an auror did seem pretty cool.

Tonks deflated a bit, "Well, not exactly. I'm technically a trainee for another year, but I passed all of my assessments, _even_ Stealth and Tracking, and now I can go on patrols, and missions, and join teams. And my new mentor is great, Kingsley Shacklebolt. He's really someone special in the department. I think Mad-Eye set that up for me. They go way back because Mad-Eye was his mentor. And the crazy old man's always had a soft spot for me, and now that he's finally retiring…"

"Congratulations," Harry' father joined in, with a pat on her shoulder before Tonks wrapped him up in a hug and a long kiss. Harry looked away but smiled. Tonks was like that.

"I didn't realize that Alastor Moody was retiring," his father said when Tonks let him go.

"Try harder to contain your glee, will you?" Tonks laughed, "I know you don't like the man. Never asked you too. He never liked me talking about you either, but that didn't stop me. And I think he respected that grudgingly."

Harry's father looked skeptical.

"Believe what you want. Now _I_ believe that I deserve a special dinner in my honour. Will you two gentleman accompany me to the Thee Broomsticks?" Harry smiled.

*****Harry*****

"What electives are you enrolled in for the next term, Harry?" Harry's father asked a Harry was sipping his butterbeer waiting on their food. Tonks and even his father had a butterbeer too.

"I -er haven't turned in the form yet," Harry admitted. "I couldn't decide."

His father frowned, "Professor McGonagall needs that information to create the schedule. It's a complicated process to try to fit every student's request while minimizing the number of classes and fitting them into professors' already full schedules. It is a task that I appreciate isn't mine."

"I'm sorry," Harry said immediately. But… it did seem intimidating to pick classes that could determine which jobs he was eligible for after graduation.

"Minerva will understand," his father dismissed easily. "Which classes are you considering, Harry?"

"Well, er- Ron was thinking about Care of Magical Creatures and Divination, and- we were thinking that we'd pick the same two classes. But Hermione's been planning on me taking Arithmancy with her for a long time. I think she's trying to take almost all of them though. Um… what did you take?"

"Arithmancy and Care of Magical Creatures," his father replied. "Of course, you should feel under no obligation to do the same."

"What do you think about Divination?"

His father considered seriously, "I think that it would be a _poor_ choice. It is a shaky magic at best. It is rumored that the Ministry tracks thousands of prophesies, most of which haven't occurred at all in the hundreds of years since their telling. And simply learning about such techniques does not grant any abilities. But people have wasted lifetimes and the lives of others over so called 'prophesies' that never needed to happen except for human interference."

"Oh," was all Harry could think to say. That didn't sound very promising.

"And the teacher is a less than pleasant person to deal with. I have had to deal with a few students she has taken a disliking to and persists in predicting their deaths."

That didn't sound fun. And Harry had a bad feeling that he'd become the target for that sort of thing. "Then… maybe I won't take Divination. I- bet that Ron will understand. Why did you pick those two?"

"I was certain at that time that I wanted to work in potions, and those were the most related options. Arithmancy has some application in advanced potions as well at spell development. And Care of Magical Creatures was a logical choice as many parts of magical creatures are used in potions," Harry's father explained.

"So, you always knew you wanted to work with potions?"

Harry's father hesitated and cast a look around before answering, "There were a few years when I lost sight of that, when I was perhaps fifteen to twenty and… fascinated by the dark arts, on the side of spell creation. But even then I cared a great deal for the art of potion making."

"Thank you," Harry said hesitantly, hearing the honesty in his father's words. "Er- what electives did you take, Tonks?"

"Creatures and Muggle Studies. Creatures because it sounded most interesting and possibly applicable to being an auror, and Muggle Studies because I knew I had to focus on my core classes, and since I grew up knowing some muggle stuff- Dad's muggleborns- it sounded easiest."

"How was Muggle Studies?" Harry asked, even though that was one subject he was sure he wasn't taking."

"Fine. It felt sort of like what History of Magic could have been if it wasn't taught by Binns. My third year there was a nice old lady who seemed like everyone's grandmother. I never wanted to ask, but it was rumored that she was a squib."

"She was," Harry's father confirmed off hand.

"And the last two years that I took the class I had, well- Quirrell."

"Quirrell? Professor Quirrell used to teach Muggle Studies?" Harry looked back and forth to his father and Tonks for confirmation.

"Yeah. I- never would have expected him to go so bad. He just seemed like a boring bloke, but he wasn't a bad teacher. I still can't even picture him teaching a class with practicals."

"It was a lot of theory," Harry said slowly, trying to process that information. It made sense, because Hagrid already knew Quirrell well when Harry first met the man in Diagon Alley, even though Quirrell hadn't taught Defense before. Luckily, their food arrived, giving them a break from conversation.

"I think I'll tell Professor McGonagall that I'll take Care of Magical Creatures and Arithmancy," Harry said after consideration. He caught a smile from his father.

"Sounds good," Tonks commented between bites.

"Yes," Harry's father agreed.

*****Severus*****

"The first element of dueling that you need to master is a decent shield charm," Severus began their first little lesson. Dora was looking as eager as Harry was. They had selected the largest convenient dungeon classroom, and after transfiguring the seating into cushions, the location seemed suitable enough.

" _But I already_ \- sorry for interrupting," Harry finished contritely.

"Yes, you have learned the spell and have practiced against another second year opponent. Practicing with peers is a method toward improvement. Working with your betters is a more efficient way, however. Tell me how dueling with myself or Tonks would be different that matching against one of your year mates." Was Dora still 'Miss Tonks?' Simply Dora?

"You'd cast better spells than Expelliarmus. And er- faster too."

"What else? What do you notice when you see adult witches and wizards using magic outside of your classes?"

"Er… Mrs. Weasley uses magic for normal stuff like cooking, I guess, but you don't use magic much for little things. I don't really know what you mean… sorry."

Harry was right- he didn't use magic very much for simple task. His brewing would require it occasionally but… he would probably go days without casting a spell outside of the lab. His teenage self would have been disgusted at how much of his muggle upbringing stuck with him.

"Silent casting. Of course, in your classes, professors speak the incantations aloud to assist in your learning by repetition, but outside of teaching, all of them should cast without speaking. In your sixth year, professors will begin focusing on silent casting. This requires more magical force and control, so it is not expected of younger students, but I believe it should be at least introduced as a concept even to first years. Raw power is another factor of course. It is a complicated matter that wizards spend their life researching with little to show for it. The results are simpler- a stunning spell with more power will keep a target unconscious for a longer period of time."

"That makes sense," Harry accepted easily, "And it would be a lot harder to block a silent spell, because I wouldn't have warning before it was cast." The boy was quick.

"Very good. Now, Dora will be casting spells at you, and I will be giving comments. She will be using a weak mild spell, as it does not cause the delays in practice from disarming charms or stunning spells."

"Makes sense," the boy agreed again, though looking a bit nervous. "Ow!" the boy yelped a moment later. "Hey, you didn't say you'd start."

"Evil witches don't give warning," Dora said smugly. She was enjoying this.

"Fine," Harry said, raising his wand and widening his stance. It wasn't a bad instinct, but not what was needed.

"Feet ready to move," Severus instructed. "You're blocking a spell, not a rock."

As in in apology, Dora was slow and pronounced in her movements, allowing Harry to block her next few spells easily. But if Harry looked too calm or confident, she would send the mild hex so quickly that Severus barely noticed it.

"Practiced wizards don't need to do the full, broad wand movements you were taught," Severus supplied.

They continued for a quarter of an hour, Dora casting curses, gradually moving around the room, forcing Harry to move with her. Harry would block successfully, or more often get stung. Severus would call out instructions when he noticed someone that needed correcting, until Severus thought it had been strenuous enough on the child. He was glad that Harry was still grinning when he sat on the floor where he had been standing.

"Tired?" Severus asked.

"No!" Harry yelped, scrambling to his feet. "I can do more. What's next?"

"I think that will be all for practical demonstration today. You did well, Harry," Severus commented as he started sorting the classroom back to rights with Dora's help.

When Severus turned back to Harry, he was sitting in one of the chairs still left in the room as if this were a formal class. The child was more tired than he would like to admit.

How was he to deliver what he had planned? "Harry, if I were the defense professor, I wouldn't mention this until the NEWTs classes, but there are some things I believe you in particular should know." Severus took a deep breath, "There are a few spells that Protego, or any other shield charm won't stop. The three worst of them are called the Unforgivable Curses, because using them on a human is meant to earn a person life in prison. I wouldn't perform them in front of you, even on the smallest, least developed animal that I would feed to Salazar without a thought. Casting those spells is harmful to the caster as well, and the only way to avoid two of them is to block them with something solid, or to move cleverly enough to avoid getting hit. Do you understand? If faced with the situation, you must do one of those two things."

"Um, what are the spells for them, the incantations, I mean?"

"I'm getting there. They are very difficult to cast, and therefore, unlike almost all other spells in dueling, it is nearly always spoken aloud. The first, _Imperio_ , the Imperius Curse, is the subtlest but no less dangerous. It is the easiest to cast silently, and with no or almost no visible signs. Its effect is to give the caster complete mental control of the victim, to order them to do whatever the caster chooses. It was an excuse used by many Death Eaters after the war, but other innocents were used in that way, many leading to their deaths. It can be fought off, by methods similar to Occlumency, which we will work on when you are ready. I am not trying to scare you, Harry."

"I'm fine," the child answered quickly. "What's next?"

" _Crucio_ , the Cruciatus Curse, is the most intense pain a spell can produce. There is a red light from casting it. Prolonged exposure can lead to permanent damage, up to insanity to the point of requiring institutionalization."

"Okay. And the last one?" Harry asked, this time with more trepidation.

" _Avada Kadavra_ ," Severus told him, hating even to say the words, "The Killing Curse. It means instant death to its victim. It is recognized by a green light."

"A green light?" the boy asked shakily. "Did- was that the curse Vol- Riddle used to kill my mother? Because I dream of a green light sometimes… more often when I was younger."

 _What? But how could he…_ "Yes, Harry, it was. I'm very sorry you remember that. It is also, as far as anyone can tell, the curse that gave you that scar. You are the only one known to survive the curse, and also the only one to be marked by it. Of course, you would not do _anything_ to risk a second experience. Are you okay, Harry?"

"It's okay. I'm… I'll work really hard on staying away from those sorts of curses, and when I learn to conjure solid things, I'll pay really close attention. Are… you okay?" Harry asked.

"Yes. You did very well in your first lesson, Harry."

"Thank you, Father. Thanks, Tonks," and the boy stepped back hesitantly. He seemed… mostly fine. Better than Severus felt himself.

"Are _you_ alright, Severus?" Dora asked him after Harry had shut the door behind him.

He wouldn't what- break down? Cry? What did he feel? "Just… thinking about those curses. I- wouldn't have thought it possible for Harry to remember that."

"It's a pretty shite thing to remember instead of a lot of happier things. Awful how that can work."

"I went to Godric's Hollow that night, after it was all over."

"I'm sure that was terrible, Severus. I'm so sorry," and he loved the way she said it, as empathetic as anyone could be without having lived through the same. Not pity.

"I knew she and Potter were dead before I got there. My spells wouldn't have been able to find the place otherwise. They were kept under a Fidelius Charm, and nothing would break that except the death of the occupants of the house, not even the death of the Secret Keeper."

"I'm sorry, Severus."

"I felt a pain in my mark, but only for a moment, and then… it faded to be just like it is now. I- knew something had happened, maybe even that he had died. I- thought to check on her because- because of the information I gave- Riddle, but I- hadn't expected my spells to find the house."

Severus paused, but Dora didn't say anything, which was probably best.

"I found her in what was clearly a nursery. I cried for- I don't know how long over her body. I left when I heard others apparating to the house and I managed to pull myself together. But I did nothing for the living, crying child. What kind of human does that?"

"A grieving one."

"I could have been meeting my son for the first time, even if I didn't know who he was, I could have done… something. But I didn't care. I was lucid enough to contemplate the workings of the Fidelius charm that it was not kept intact by the living infant inhabitant, to wonder if perhaps the child _did_ die for a moment, but I didn't try to comfort the boy. And he remembered that night!" Severus said in a quiet whimper. He didn't want Harry to hear.

"I don't think he remembers that, Severus."

"It doesn't matter!" even in his agitated state, Severus stayed quiet. "I was a cruel bastard. How could I have claimed to love that woman if I didn't give a damn about her child? How can you stand to be around me? You should be off finding some… young uncomplicated twat who's at least capable of love." The fact that his last statement was one of the most selfless things he had ever said reflected poorly on his first several decades of life.

"Severus, you know you love Harry very much."

"Only because he was my _son_. I hated him before. The _boy_ didn't change."

"I know, Severus."

"I'm too old to change," he said stubbornly

"You're not old." She didn't tell him that he had already changed. But he had, hadn't he? She wouldn't push him. He… appreciated that about her.

 **A/N: The scene of Severus crying over Lily's body is not in the books (though I honestly had to search the Prince's Tale chapter to confirm it), so it is purely a fabrication of the movies, and I don't consider it canon. However, I** _ **do**_ **think it was very well done, probably the best scene that was in the movies that wasn't actually from the books. It shows as near as possible to perfectly the nature of canon Severus Snape, weeping over Lily's body and completely ignoring the innocent, helpless infant. If he went down the path of my story though, I believe he would come to greatly regret that. So I inferred a bit about the nature of the Fidelius charm to bridge the gap.**

 **Also, thank you so much for all the support. I'm almost at 500 reviews, which is still crazy to me. What floors me most is the more than 900 followers. Thank you so much!**


	37. Chapter 37 Birthday

Chapter 37- Birthday

*****Severus*****

"Harry?" Severus began delicately. He didn't want the boy to be hurt by what he had to say.

"Yes, Father?" Harry responded politely.

Best just to say it, "I- received a floo call from Mrs. Weasley that the family will be unable to join you for your birthday this year. It seems they came into some extra money and are taking a trip to see their eldest son." It seemed like with wizarding travel, the trip should have flexible timing and not be overly expensive, but it was none of his business.

"Oh. That's okay," Harry responded after a moment. "Hermione's on vacation with her parents too. It's fine though."

"Is there- anywhere you would like to go for your birthday? Away from the castle, possibly out of the country? Or anyone else you'd like to invite over?" Severus offered. Harry didn't seem to spend large amounts of time with other friends, but he was relatively social and was liked by the others in his year and his quidditch teammates as far as Severus could tell.

"Can Draco come over?" Harry asked, surprising Severus for the moment. The two boys did seem to have fun the year before, but the children didn't run in the same circles. But the association was at least as good for Draco as it was for Harry. When his godson had first come to Hogwarts, Severus had almost thought that the boy was a lost cause, already on the path to be exactly like his father. Severus had felt guilty for not spending more time with the child but… he wasn't good with children. Though Harry didn't seem to mind.

"Yes, I will do my best to arrange it," Severus said thoughtfully. "Any other requests?"

"Um- just for Tonks to be around, but I'm sure she would be."

"Of course," Severus responded. If the child had asked for a tour across Europe or Africa, Severus would have granted it. But all the boy wanted was to spend time with his father, his father's… girlfriend, and an unlikely friend of his own.

*****Harry*****

Harry examined at the pocket sneakoscope from his first friend. If it worked, it sounded like a really smart, practical idea. It sounded like it was pretty sensitive though if it went off with the Weasleys just because Fred and George were pulling some little prank. It would probably be going off in Gryffindor Tower all of the time.

Harry's dad examines the sneakoscope after Harry put it down, but he didn't comment on it. It wasn't making any noise now, at least.

Harry always liked the letters as much as most gifts anyway. He liked reading Ron tell about enjoying spending time with his older brothers and seeing some cool sights. Harry was happy for his friend. Ron had lots of great family, but Harry knew they didn't often get to spend a lot of money on something great like this, and it sounded like Ron would never forget it. There was even an enclosed clipping from the paper of the whole Weasley family dressed up and in front of a pyramid. Everyone looked really happy. Percy had his Head Boy badge pinned to his robe. Harry's dad had already shown him the picture from the paper, but it was nice for Ron to send it too.

It had been in the same paper as an article about how Lockheart was having his Order of Merlin taken away, which Harry's father seemed to enjoy even more than Harry did. Trials for the fraud were still going on, with new evidence against him coming out all the time, now that so many people were looking for it. Harry didn't ask, but he wondered if his father had anything to do with it.

Putting all that aside, Harry opened the next letter, this one from Hermione. Harry tried to be interested as she went on about the history of France. It did seem like a nice place to visit, though not as cool as cursed pyramids. Opening her present was a pleasant surprise though. He had thought that a box that size was too big for a book, even a book from Hermione. A broomstick servicing kit was perfect, especially because he had two brooms to look after, though Ron would gladly take care of the one that he rode sometimes. Harry grinned when he saw the set included a small book along with the other equipment. So the world wasn't entirely wrong.

Next, there were also more sweets from Dumbledore, including several muggle varieties that he'd seen Dudley enjoy but had never gotten to try himself. From Professor McGonagall, there was a Gryffindor blanket, and the lion _moved_. Harry still got so excited for wizarding things like that.

Harry grabbed for the last package in his stack, but he trusted by now that his father would have something somewhere for him too. On the messy brown package, wrapped with a lot of twine, Harry could make out Hagrid's scrawl. It looked like the shape- of a book, but Hagrid wasn't really a book type.

Harry glimpsed a bit of green leather before it growled. _Growled?_ And then it _moved_. And not the interesting kind of moving like his new lion blanket did, but scuttling somehow, still half wrapped in paper.

Harry scrambled back as the thing broke the last of its wrapping. He fished out his wand, but his father was faster. A silent stunning spell from his dad and the thing was still.

He could have handled it… "Thanks," Harry said instead.

Stepping closer, Harry could see that it _was_ a book. _The Monster Book of Monsters_ was the title in golden script on it green cover. Harry would have sworn that it had legs and teeth a moment ago, but everything was now tucked inside what looked like a harmless book. Harry did not find himself wanting to open the book and find out. It was a very Hagrid-like gift after all…

"I'll just… get something to put around it in case it wakes up?" Harry ran off to his room and came back with a belt

"I would be interested to know what Hagrid was thinking with such a thing," Harry's father murmured, and Harry knew he wasn't pleased. Now that it wasn't going to bite him anymore, Harry thought it was a little cool, though he wasn't sure how he'd ever trust it to stay still long enough to read it. Harry did wish that he had stunned it on his own before his father had done so. He had learned the stunning spell in their lessons, at least a bit.

When Harry had turned back around from dealing with the book, his father had produced more presents. Harry smiled. He knew that his father was less likely to forget Harry's birthday than Harry was himself, but it still gave him the warm, pleasant feeling.

"Thank you," Harry replied.

"Of course."

Harry grabbed first for the pouch that he knew would contain more pocket money. He still wasn't really sure what he was supposed to do with all the pocket money he was getting, but at least he had safe places in his room in the dungeons to keep it, since he didn't spend much of it when they went shopping.

"Thank you," Harry repeated. He knew it made his father happy to give Harry things.

Harry went next for what he knew would be a couple of books. Defense books, two of them and a- history book?

"To go along with our defense lessons," his father explained. "And it has come to my attention that history is taught rather inadequately. I thought you might find different sources more interesting."

"Thank you," Harry said again. His father always found good, though mostly practical gifts. Not that Harry needed anything at all.

Finally, Harry reached for the lumpy parcel that he couldn't identify. After opening it, he still didn't have a better idea. Strips of black fabric, and then a brown leather contraption that could- maybe fit around his arm?

"Wand holders," his father supplied. After his father said it, Harry thought he had seen Tonks wearing something similar when she came from work, but maybe bulkier on her arm. "The cloth ones will bond to your robe sleeves for typical use. They are more efficient that shoving your wand in an inner pocket. There are spells to keep wands protected from bending, falling, and from being summoned by anyone except you. The formal holster is perhaps similar to something you have seen Tonks wear?"

"Yeah, it's all wicked!" Harry said, thinking about how much faster he could have gotten his wand out if he'd had this a few minutes ago.

"Nothing that you didn't need anyway," hi father brushed it off. "Be sure to pick out some things for yourself when we next go out."

"I will," Harry chimed, though it probably wouldn't be more than a few sweets. What could he possibly need that he didn't already have?

*****Harry*****

Harry spent at least half of the morning playing - _practicing_ \- with his last gift. His father had helped him attach the holders to all of Harry's robes, and to put on the holster, so he could practice both new ways of drawing his wand quickly. Harry could already hardly believe that he usually kept his wand in his bag with his books.

By the time Draco, arrived, Harry felt pretty confident in his new skill, and welcomed something else to do.

Draco came through the floo, carefully holding his Nimbus 2001. Harry had gotten better at using the floo, but didn't think he could make it through with his broomstick without damaging it.

"Thank you for having me," Draco spoke first to Harry's father before turning to Harry. "I wish you a happy birthday, and my family extends the same greeting."

"Thank you," Harry replied, though he didn't really care what Draco's parents thought. He was glad that they had let Draco come over, and he wasn't going to question it.

"Wanna go flying?" Harry asked immediately.

"I have a gift from the Malfoy family," Draco responded, still in his stuffy adult-tone extending a book shaped package. Not that Harry had anything against books really.

Though boring looking books about history that looked more like pureblood genealogies… "Thank you," Harry replied politely.

"I will confer the thanks to my family," Draco responded, still in the clearly rehearsed voice. It was like playing him in chess- it was more fun when he got Draco to do something he hadn't memorized.

"Flying?" Harry tried again.

"If we may?" Draco asked Harry's dad.

"Of course."

 _Finally_ , Harry thought, half running to collect his broom and head towards the pitch.

"We could go visit Hagrid," Draco suggested almost as soon as they got out the doors, even though they both carried brooms.

"Er- but what about flying?" Harry asked. Though visiting Hagrid did sound just as fun. Harry supposed that Draco could be surprising sometimes.

"We can go later. I want to see what Hagrid wanted to show us last year."

"Yeah. I saw it, and it was pretty cool. Wanna know what it was?" Harry asked as they walked towards Hagrid's hut rather than the quidditch pitch.

"No. I want to be surprised," Draco replied, breaking out into a run.

"You know, you couldn't always come to see him during the year without me," Harry called, running to catch up. "Or asked me to go, and I would have."

Both boys stopped in front of the cabin. "It's not the same in the school year," was all Draco said, knocking on the door.

"Harry- oh, and your friend Draco. Haven't seen you in a bit, lad. What can I do ya' for today?"

Harry glanced at Draco, but the blond boy wasn't saying anything. "Thank you for the book, Hagrid," Harry said the first thing he thought of. "Er- I'm not sure how to read it without getting bitten though," Harry admitted.

"Aw, you'd figure it ou' Harry, but I'll tell ye. Just stroke it town the spine, and it'll calm righ' down."

"Thanks, Hagrid," Harry said, and gave Draco a nudge.

"I want to see the surprise you had last summer- can I?" the other boy blurted out.

"Well, sure. Wasn't plannin' on bringing them food at the momen' but they always enjoy it. Just a bit." Hagrid stepped to the side of his cabin and reached in to grab what Harry suspected was about half of a cow, though he tried not to look too close. "Come wi' me boys. I brought them out for Harry last year, but you boys are a bit older now, aren't ya? We won't go far into the forest, and if you stick with me, I'm sure your father won' mind."

Harry wasn't sure how his father would feel about them going into the forest with Hagrid, especially after that detention in first year, but Hagrid said they weren't going in far, and it _was_ still the middle of the day. Harry turned to glance at Draco, who had been so scared in their first year, but Draco was already following Hagrid into the forest. Harry ran a few steps to catch up.

"Now," Hagrid said, coming to a clearing that wasn't very far into the forest. Harry thought that if he tried hard enough, he could still see a bit of the castle through the trees. "We just have to wait for 'em."

Draco didn't seem to wait especially patiently, and Harry thought he did look a little scared, but then, Draco didn't know what he was waiting for. Even if he knew what to expect, Harry couldn't help but gasp when the first bite was torn from the meat that Hagrid had brought.

"Woah," Draco said, taking a step closer as Harry stopped himself from taking a step back. "What is it?"

"Thestrals. They're a bit like horses with wings, but you can't see them, can you?"

Both Harry and Draco shook their heads. Draco frowned, "Can you?" he asked.

Hagrid grinned broadly, "Well, that's the right question Mister Malfoy. Sorry Harry, didn't mention this las' year, but you boys are older now, aren't ya? Are you going to be takin' Care of Magical Creatures, either of you?"

"Yes," Draco said quickly.

"Yeah, I'm planning on it too, I think," Harry said.

"Well, it hasn't exactly been announced public-aly speaking, but after my name being officially cleared las' year, after Professor Dumbledore doing a bit of extra work-" Harry wasn't sure exactly what Hagrid was talking about, but he noticed that Draco went very serious and nodded, "An' Professor Kettleburn has been wantin' to retire for a couple o' years. An' so, Professor Dumbledore offered me the position, and o' course I took it right off. Don' know if I'll be any good at it, but I'll do my best, I will. The book I gave ya' was the book fir the class. 'oped you'd take it."

"That's great, Hagrid! I'll take the class, of course. Ron and Hermione will too. Ron already wanted to, and I think Hermione wants to take everything."

"Well, that's sweet of you lot, but let me tell ya' a bit more about thestrals, eh? I reckon I've got the only tamed herd in the country, maybe in the world. They take the carriages to the train station and back couple times a year, and listen to me pretty well if I need sommat else of 'em. But, most people don' like thestrals if they know about 'em. People thought they were bad luck for years, but only if they didn't really know the creatures. Do either of ya know why that is? It's about Mr. Malfoy here's question, near about."

Both boys shook their heads, so Hagrid went on, "Cause you can only see 'em if you've seen death," Hagrid explained. Harry was silent, pondering. Like Draco mentioned, it had seemed like Hagrid could see the creatures.

"Who did you see die?" Draco asked suddenly. Harry spun to look at his companion. Draco looked down at his feet but didn't take back his question. Harry didn't think Hagrid would answer something so personal.

"When I was 'bout your age, well, second year, my da got real sick. Professor Dumbledore let me go home for a bit an' take care of 'im till he died, and then I came back. I saw him pass. Hogwarts has been my home since then. Professor Dumbledore had this cabin built for me so I could stay on the grounds in the summer. Bit of a loop hole really, 'cause he hired me on as games keeper, or assistant at firs'. An' I stayed here after I got chucked out of school," Hagrid said to Harry's surprise.

Hagrid was _expelled?_ Harry opened his mouth to ask what had happened, but closed it again. Maybe he could find out from someone else and not have to ask his large friend. Harry was sure his father would know.

Draco didn't seem surprised by the news.

Hagrid continued, "I was already big enough to do most any work that was needed on the grounds, and I liked the work. So, yea' I saw my da' die, and later som' other people during the war too. Couple o' friends, good people. Some people think that jus' _seein'_ the death was enough to see the thestrals, but I think you really gotta understand it. I think some o' the thestrals have always been in the forest, and I didn' start seeing them until a while, maybe few months after me da' passed. Then I started trainin' them."

"Thank you," Draco murmured. "For telling me."

"Not' a problem, Mister Malfoy. An' you can come visit me and see 'em- well, not see 'em I s-pose- whenever you wan'. If you reach over here, you can pet one." Hagrid offered, stroking an invisible beast. Draco stepped forward and did so, as did Harry. "Wish I could ride one, really. They're strong, but I'm too big for 'em. I did ride 'em a couple o' times when I was startin' ter train 'em when I wasn' any older'n you. Lot bigger though, even then."

Draco opened his mouth and Harry could tell the other boy was going to ask something, but shut his mouth again. "Thank you for showing us, Professor Hagrid," he said instead. That got Hagrid flustered and as happy as Harry had ever seen him. "Harry, ready to go flying?" the boy asked.

"Yeah, sure," Harry agreed, and Hagrid walked them the small way's out of the forest before going back in himself after their goodbyes and Harry's promise to visit again soon. The boys flew for quite a while, and Draco didn't say anything more, and Harry was silent as well. They just flew, no competing or quidditch drills this time. Harry wondered what Wood would think of them flying together. Just in case, Harry wouldn't mention it.

Draco seemed to be thinking a lot as they finally walked back to the castle. Harry didn't know how late it was, with the summer days so long, but he was hungry.

"Hey Tonks," Harry said, spotting the witch as he entered their rooms.

"Hey Tonks," Draco said a moment later.

"Hey, boys," Tonks responded. "We wondered when you'd show up."

"Milly has brought us dinner," Harry's dad informed them.

"Great," Harry responded.

"No, no, my present first," Tonks insisted.

"You- didn't have to get me anything," Harry said, though he'd known she would. She always got him something.

Harry tore open the package quickly until he held a red swim suit, and some red folded plastic, as far as he could figure.

"It's a raft," Tonk explained. "A key part of water relaxation. Muggles do lots of things right."

"Thanks, Tonks," Harry responded, giving her a tight hug. It was like the skates. She really wanted him to learn stuff and have fun.

"You're welcome, kiddo. Now, I believe we heard something about dinner?"

Harry felt like he spoke the most through dinner, which was unusual from him. "…And it's pretty creepy to watch the food just disappear, but still cool," Harry finished everything he could think to say about the thestrals. He didn't want to mention what Draco had asked Hagrid or what Hagrid had said. "Oh, and Hagrid said people could ride them, but I didn't ask to try."

"You're quiet, Draco. Did you have fun?" Tonks asked.

"I like visiting Hagrid," Draco said in response, which wasn't exactly saying he had fun.

"Is… everything alright, Draco?" Harry's father asked quietly. Why wouldn't Draco be alright?

"How can you tell if you're a metamorphmagus?" Harry's friend asked instead.

"Oh, Draco, I should have thought to ask earlier, us being blood related and all. Come over here. You want to test?"

"Yes, please," Draco said.

"Now, I warn you, most people who have the ability can't do as much with it as you expect. My mum can do a little- change her hair and nails mostly. Severus can too." Draco whipped his head around to Harry's father. Harry realized that Draco probably didn't know that. Harry didn't even think about it much, because his father never used it.

"I don't expect anything," Draco maintained, though Harry thought it was a lie.

Tonks had changed herself, to the way she often looked, except her short hair was bright yellow this time. Harry already knew what she was doing, of course. "Okay, Draco, take my hands," Tonks instructed, and Draco quickly complied. "Now, I'm going to change back, and you tell me if you feel anything, okay?" Tonks changed back to her normal self.

"Your- hands moved lower like you got shorter…" Draco offered uncertainly.

"But anything magical?" Tonks asked softly. Harry knew she didn't think he had it.

"No," Draco murmured and dropped her hands.

"One more try," Tonks said, holding hands out again. This time, her hair was pink.

"Anything?" Tonks asked a moment later, after she changed back to her normal self.

"Nothing. That's alright," Draco shrugged.

"Sorry Draco," Tonks said, bringing him into a quick hug that Draco seemed to find uncomfortable but didn't protest. Tonks was big on hugs.

"That's alright. May Harry and I be excused, Uncle Severus?"

"Are- you okay?" Harry asked when both boys were inside Harry's room.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I didn't really expect it to work anyway. It was really halfway just to change the subject."

"Why?" Harry asked.

Draco stared at him. Harry guessed it was a pretty dumb question if Draco didn't want to talk about it. "How about some wizard's chess?" Draco suggested after a moment.

"Sure," Harry agreed, willing to let whatever it was drop.

*****Severus*****

"Is Draco going to be okay?" Dora asked him after Harry's door had closed.

"He'll be fine," Severus replied, though he did stare where the boys had been sitting.

"Good," she said, winding her arms up around Severus's neck, leaning her head into his shoulder and breathing deeply. She leaned into him more heavily than usual.

"Long day?" Severus asked.

"And _bo-ring_. They talk all about honor and serving the populous in the auror department, but really it's mostly paper work."

"I do prefer not thinking of you in constant danger," Severus smiled.

Dora opened her mouth for some comeback that was silenced when a lynx patronus whipped through the room into sight.

A deep male voice that Severus didn't recognize spoke, "Tonks, I need you with me at headquarters now. Everyone is called in," before the thing disappeared.

"I- have to go," Dora spoke needlessly. "That's my mentor, Kingsley. It-must be important, because he knew about my plans tonight."

She spoke about _him_ at her work? That- didn't bear thinking on for the moment. He- knew that she was trained, capable, but he didn't like the idea of his witch going off into unknown danger. _His witch?_ He- tried not to think in such possessive term that he knew Dora would object to vehemently but...

"I'll be fine," Dora said in a forced casual tone. "I was just saying that work was boring. Probably someone incorrectly filed something and they want to threaten to fire us all."

*****Severus****

Severus wasn't even surprised when the boy crept out of Harry's room that night. It was a welcome distraction from dwelling on whatever Dora might be doing, and Severus had been waiting for it, after the way the boy had been acting at dinner. "Draco, you know you can talk to me when it's not past your bed time, right?"

"I know, but- can I talk now, Uncle Severus?" the boy asked. He was still a child, just a bit past thirteen.

"Of course, Draco."

"So… you know how last time I was here we talked about good and bad muggles, and good and bad wizards, right?"

"Yes, Draco. Blood status has nothing to do with a person's character."

"Is my dad a bad wizard?" the boy asked in a rush.

"Why do you ask that, Draco?" Severus asked, shocked by the suggestion though he didn't let it show. He had thought that the boy was sheltered from most everything his father did.

"Because I think he caused whatever happened last year. Because he visited Hogwarts when the Weasley girl went missing. And he tried to get Professor Dumbledore thrown out of Hogwarts, and Hagrid put in Azkaban, when anyone who's ever talked to Hagrid would know he wouldn't hurt anyone."

"And- and I heard a while ago about how Hagrid was expelled the last time it was opened, but he didn't do anything then either, I'm sure. And if my father somehow caused the recent attacks at Hogwarts, then all of the muggle-borns could have been hurt or – killed, like a girl was last time. And Ginny isn't even a muggle-born, and that didn't matter either and- and if he did it then he's a- bad wizard… then I'm- maybe scared to be at home."

Life was not supposed to be so complicated and difficult for a child barely thirteen, "Your father was one of my oldest friends. There were many years when I would have died for him, and believed that he would do the same for me. Maybe he even would have. I do believe that he loves you very much, Draco, and would do anything to protect you. I am sure that you do not need to fear living in your own home, understood?" Severus waited until his godson slowly nodded. "However, your father has done many, terrible things, and I expect you will not conform to that part of his life. I am trusting you a great deal when I tell you that he was the cause of the danger at Hogwarts last year."

"I knew it!" Draco let out. "And he was really mean to Dobby, and when he found out I let Dobby go he-" the boy stopped.

"You freed the house elf?" Severus prompted, trying to make the boy continue. There was something there. "How did your father respond, Draco?"

"He said he was sorry afterwards. He said he'd buy me a new broom, a Firebolt even, but I didn't want it. I don't know why I didn't want it, but I wouldn't let him get me one for that. I didn't want to think about it when I flew, I guess. Mother was really mad at him. But it was just a slap," Draco said the last bit softly. Severus wondered if the boy realized he had been rubbing his face. "It didn't really even hurt much. He called me stupid for letting the house elf get freed. He believed me when I said I freed the elf by accident, but I didn't, really. Father was hurting Dobby a lot, and I asked if Dobby wanted to be freed, and he did, so I set him free."

"Draco, has your father ever hit you before?"

"No, and he hasn't again. I really think he won't even. Sometimes even good people make mistakes. Except I know that he's not a good person, so how can I trust him? I know you're a- good person. And Hagrid is too, even if he's weird. And- maybe even Professor Dumbledore."

It would be a difficult situation, if he felt he actually had to step in. The Malfoys were not some muggles that he could make cower with a few tricks. "Draco, your father has quite a bit of standing in our world, and I don't want to make life more difficult for you. But Draco, you can write me if you ever feel scared. And if it gets bad and you want to floo over here, you can any time. I'm going to add you to the floo access just like I did for Harry and Dora- Miss Tonks, okay? We're the only ones besides Professor Dumbledore that can get into my quarters."

"Thank you, Uncle Severus," the boy muttered, small smile coming out.

"Of course, child, now get some sleep. Harry will doubtless want to run around tomorrow, and you shall be too tired."

"I'll be fine. Goodnight," the boy said, smiling a bit again.

*****Severus*****

"Hey," Dora said, stepping through his floo. He might have still been awake worried about her, which seemed pointless when he had no reason to think she would come back to Hogwarts that night. What did it mean that she had? "The rest of my evening was shit. How was yours? Is Harry asleep?"

"I have a feeling that I'd rather hear about yours. And yes, Harry is bed and-" Severus waved his wand a bit, "Both boys are still asleep."

"Well, you won't actually want to hear about my evening. But, I figure better from me than from the newspaper tomorrow. Sirius Black escaped from Azkaban."

Severus couldn't even speak for a few moments. The worst memories he had of Black came flooding back to his mind. "How?" he finally asked.

"Nobody knows, or they wouldn't be so terrified. It doesn't help that the Azkaban guards aren't exactly chatty. Never heard one talk, and I don't want to. I think the ministry gathered all the aurors just so the higher ups could get to scream. Nothing productive was really done except sending a bulletin to the papers and to the muggles as well. They'll have a telly alert about how he's dangerous and to not approach him. That should start tomorrow, and they'll have it in the Prophet of course. There making a team to find him, pulling some people off other teams to find him. I'm- going to try to get put on it. I think I can, because Kingsley's on the short list to lead it."

"That's a big decision," Severus said slowly. She'd know if she could handle the pressure. It was something he would want to do in her position. "But I would want to do the same."

She smiled just a fraction. "I- just want to help. The Dementors did say at least one thing. Black's been muttering in his sleep for the last week. He's said 'He's at _Hogwarts_ ,' Severus, and I'm going to do whatever I can to help keep Harry safe. It is- assumed that Harry's who Black was talking about…"

Of course it was Harry. Everyone was always out to get his son, it seemed. Why would he expect anything to change? "Thank you for telling me. I'll-have to speak to Harry about it."

"They're talking about additional auror patrols around Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley, and more security for Hogwarts once the kids come back in September."

 _Good_. "Good." Of course Severus would have to make sure that September wasn't too late to help Harry… What was he supposed to do?

 **A/N: This chapter was hard to get out for some reason. Please let me know what you thought!**


	38. Chapter 38 Convenient Professor

Chapter 38- Convenient Professor

*****Severus*****

Severus wasn't sure if he slept at all that night after Dora left. He had made a brief floo call to the Headmaster, but Dumbledore had already been informed of Black's escape. And now he needed to speak to Harry. And probably Draco too, since the boy was here. And he couldn't afford for Lucius to come calling before he spoke to the boy.

It wasn't much past dawn when he went into Harry's room. "Harry, Draco, you need to wake up."

"Does Draco have to leave already?" a sleepy Harry whined.

"Soon, but I need to speak to you both first," Severus responded. That had both boys sitting up, Draco from his cot on the floor, hair messy like Severus hadn't seen it in years.

"Sirius Black escaped Azkaban last night," Severus began. Draco gasped, but Severus didn't think Harry understood any of it. "Azkaban is the wizarding prison, from which until yesterday, no one had ever escaped," Severus explained briefly, "And Sirius Black was one of the most feared Death Eaters from the war, imprisoned for killing thirteen people among other crimes." Harry just nodded, watching him. The boy didn't look scared enough for the situation, but he didn't know all of it of course.

"Draco, I'm going to send you home shortly, but first I want to give you some instructions that I hope you will follow."

"I will, Uncle Severus," the boy promised. Good.

"I do not expect that he will, but if Sirius Black appears at your house, because of his relation to your mother or any other reason, you need to stay away from him and floo over here as quickly as you can, understand?" Draco nodded, but Severus continued, "He isn't safe to be around and has a history of turning on those he aligned himself with. Do you understand?" Another nod. "Your father will already know of the escape, but you can tell him that I told you and sent you home to be with your family, will you do that, Draco?"

"Yes, sir."

"Good. Let's get you through the floo," Severus said, but he was looking at Harry now, the child still sitting on his bed staring at him. Harry nodded at him. The boy was resilient.

*****Harry*****

Harry stared at his father after Draco was gone. One of Voldemort's biggest supporters escaping, and from the looks he'd gotten from his father, Harry thought there might even be more to it that he didn't want to say in front of Draco. He hoped his friend would be alright and the escaped prisoner wouldn't come to his house.

"Father? Is there something else going on?" Harry asked, stepping into the main room of their quarters to see his dad staring at the fireplace as it changed back to normal flames instead of the green.

"Harry, I think it's best to not conceal information from you, because ignorance rarely preserves safety. But I don't want to frighten you."

"I can take it, I swear."

"We have reason to believe that Black might be targeting you personally, Harry."

"I," Harry hesitated. This should frighten him more than it did, he knew, "I thought so, since he was a follower of… You-Know-Who."

"Harry, there's more of a personal connection. Sirius Black was what is called a secret keeper for the house that you and your mother and James Potter hid in. So long as he kept the secret, no one should have been able to find the house."

"But, he was their friend?"

His father sighed and considered his words, "He was James Potter's best friend, from the time that they were eleven years old. You may hear- that he was your godfather. Nearly everyone was surprised by his betrayal; not even the highest Death Eaters knew of Black's involvement. But I knew he was capable of terrible acts since he was a child."

"So he turned them over to be killed?" Harry asked, feeling dim. Of course he did. That had already been spelled out. But how could someone's best friend betray him? And he was Harry's godfather?

"Yes, he did. And the next day he was confronted by another friend, Peter Pettigrew, whom Black then killed on the street along with twelve muggles."

"So, what should I do?" Harry asked. His father would have a better plan than Harry could come up with.

"We have reason to believe that he will attempt entry to Hogwarts grounds but with the protections in place, I believe it is still the safest place for you, Harry, for the time being. However, I ask that whenever you leave these quarters, I would go with you, and we will take Milly as well. I know this is confining, and when additional protections are placed around the castle by September first, we can relax the precautions slightly. And until then, I will endeavor to make your summer more enjoyable." Harry didn't like it, but his father had taken time to explain it all, and Harry understood.

"It's fine- I understand- but we can still go flying sometimes?"

"Of course. Today if you wish."

"That sounds great." Harry said, waiting to see if his father had anything else to say.

"Thank you, Harry. I would also like to increase your Defense training, just in case, though you should never approach Black."

More training would be useful, and Harry loved their lessons already, working with his dad and Tonks, when she could come. "I promise."

*****Severus*****

Walking to the Headmaster's office as requested, Severus hoped that Albus had information related to another horcrux. He wished for a problem he could solve, rather than worrying over Black's escape, what could happen to Harry, and Black's potential to find and assist his old master or to assist other Death Eaters' escape from Azkaban. Bellatrix Lestrange and a few of the inner circle could be almost as formidable as the Dar- as Riddle himself. Severus felt that he had done nothing but worry for the last week.

Training Harry had been a productive outlet that they both enjoyed. Harry had progressed to having a pretty good stunning charm, which Severus had instructed Harry to use first in any combat situation. It was better than a disarming charm in most cases. An opponent's wand could be collected and pocketed or snapped after the assailant had been stunned.

Severus could still block all of Harry's curses, and usually got a stinging charm past the boy in retaliation, but Harry was improving. If any peer were to attack Harry, even a much older student, they would be surprised at the challenge the boy would present. Unfortunately, it wasn't teenage wizards who posed the threat that Severus was worried about, with an escaped murderer loose. Outside of working with Harry, little else seemed fruitful.

"Albus, I hope you have good news," Severus said, taking a seat before Albus even indicated one. It had been a long week.

The Headmaster smiled, "I do have good news, though I am not sure that you will see it as such, so I wanted to let you know personally."

So, _not_ about a horcrux, and not about Black being captured or killed.

"What?" he may have sighed.

"I have hired a new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher," Albus announced. It was only surprising that Albus was still able to find anyone to take the job.

"And what? I don't have time for this, Albus." Though Severus had arguably had _too_ much time this summer, with little to fill it.

"Our new member of staff is Remus Lupin."

 _No._

"Albus, you can't be serious." The man was finally going senile.

"Severus, with current advancements, Remus can be a useful addition to our staff without fear of his condition endangering students."

"I don't care!" Severus hissed. "I am not even most concerned that he routinely turns into a bloodthirsty beast! Though I will get back to that reckless point in a moment. Don't you think it is too convenient that Sirius Black escapes Azkaban, and only a week later, his best friend left that he hasn't _murdered_ is seeking employment at Hogwarts!" he might have been yelling at the end.

"Severus, I extended this offer over a month ago now, just after Gilderoy left us. And the aurors have already questioned Remus. Don't you think he would be the first person the Ministry would wish to suspect, a werewolf with past association to the escaped prisoner? Adult life has been difficult for Remus, Severus."

"It hasn't been _easy_ for many of us, Albus. You what, expect me to trust the Ministry that they have done their job thoroughly, _and_ for me to brew Wolfsbane, a time consuming and difficult endeavor, _for_ a man I have significant reason to despise?" He had not heard any specifics of the investigation, other than that Dora had managed to be placed on the team hunting Black. He hadn't seen much of Dora at all in the week since Black's escape, and he would admit that her being away did not improve his mood.

The old man was as calm as ever, "You would be compensated for your time in preparing the Wolfsbane for Remus, of course. It would save the school a significant amount of money if you would prepare it rather than forcing me to find another brewer. I may also ask if you would be able to take on his morning classes directly after a full moon, with additional compensation, of course."

This plan of Albus's was insane. What would the parents think if they knew their children were being taught by a werewolf? Less concerned than they should be about the man being the friend of a mass murderer.

"I want to question Lupin personally, under the influence of Veritaserum if I feel needed. Or I will find it necessary to relocate for the protection of my son, and you will find yourself in need of more than a brewer for the _Wolfsbane_." Severus had never made such a threat to Albus Dumbledore in all the years he had served the man. But he would leave his castle and all of his work for Dumbledore if it was best for Harry. The boy would hate it, and would possibly grow to despise him for it but…

Albus merely smiled, "I did not truly expect any less. I do not believe Remus will object to your request."

" _Fine_ ," Severus said, sweeping out of the room feeling wearier than when he stepped in. But perhaps the wolf would be the lead they needed.

*****Severus*****

"Hello Severus," the shabby looking man said, holding out his hand. Remus Lupin hadn't aged well, hair half grey, defined lines on his face. "Thank you for being willing to meet with me," he said nervously.

"I care very little for anything you might say without guarantee that you speak the truth, wolf."

"Severus, I believe second chances are worthy causes, and ask you to take that under consideration," Albus reminded him. The old man might have even thought he was being subtle. Lupin might be too thick to catch it, but no Slytherin would be.

"Severus, I understand. And I'll take your potion willingly. I don't have anything to hide."

"Good."

Three drops later, and Severus could ask whatever he wanted.

"Do you have any knowledge of Sirius Black's escape from Azkaban, other than that from the Daily Prophet?"

"No, I do not," the man replied evenly.

"Do you know how Black would have escaped?" A person had to be careful of the subtleties of their questions.

"I assume it is some dark magic that he learned from Voldemort." Severus was ashamed that he flinched at the mention of his old master. He turned for a moment so Albus wouldn't see. The wolf wouldn't notice in that state. Severus needed to be better than that, but idiots didn't have to keep throwing around the name.

"When was the last time you saw or in any way communicated with Sirius Black?"

"October 31st, 1981, I sent him a letter that he never responded to. I wanted to see him after Lily and James were dead. I didn't know anything about a secret keeper or much about the protections around Lily and James and Harry at all."

"And if you were to encounter or learn any information on Black today, what would you do?" Those sorts of questions were shakier, because it would only be a truthful answer based on the drugged person's current state and available information but… the wolf _had_ answered well so far.

"I would go to Professor Dumbledore."

"Not to the Ministry directly?" Severus asked, though he wasn't surprised.

"I trust Professor Dumbledore, not the Ministry." As a werewolf, Severus couldn't even blame him for that. It wasn't anything that he didn't expect. And telling Dumbledore was sufficient. The old man had been disillusioned to that particular Gryffindor's true nature over a decade ago.

"Are you satisfied, Severus?" Albus asked.

"Will you do everything possible to prevent your lycanthropy from being a safety issue for anyone in Hogwarts or Hogsmeade?"

"Yes."

The wolf had held up under Veritaserum, and Severus hadn't noticed any signs of falsehood, and there were two of the most accomplished Legilimens in the world in that room.

"Fine. I shall brew him the potion. But he'll be coming to _my_ office each evening he needs it, so I can be assured that he takes it," Severus said, walking out of the room. Severus knew enough that he didn't feel like he needed to remove Harry from the castle, but that didn't mean that he wanted to spend any more time in the room with the man. It was small consolation that Severus thought the werewolf might actually be a decent teacher, which those students sorely needed.

*****Harry*****

"Harry?" his father called. Harry had been stuck in their rooms until his father returned.

"Yes?" Harry answered.

"I have to discuss something with you regarding your new Defense professor," his father said stiffly.

"What's wrong?" Harry hadn't had the best luck with Defense Against the Dark Arts professors.

"Nothing, _necessarily_ , if enough precautions are enacted," his father said slowly. "It is not something that the rest of the student body will even be aware of, understood?"

So it was a secret. "I don't even have to tell Ron and Hermione," Harry offered hesitantly

"That might be for the best, for the time being. Your new Defense professor is a werewolf," his father stated.

"Werewolves are _real_?" the Harry blurted out, and then felt silly immediately. "I mean yes, I knew that, I just-" Hadn't one of Lockheart's books been about werewolves? But Harry hadn't actually read any of them past the first few pages. And it… just seemed like something out of a story book- but then again, so did elves, goblins, and unicorns, and he'd seen all of those. Not to mention thestrals, which were most remarkable because he _couldn't_ see them.

"It is- an unfortunate affliction that causes those affected to transform once a month on each full moon."

"Is he dangerous?" Harry asked. His father wouldn't think too badly of him for asking a silly question.

"He shouldn't be," his father said slowly, but Harry didn't think he sounded that confident. "I will be brewing him a potion so that he will remain in control of his mental faculties during transformations. And I may be substituting for some of his classes directly after the full moons."

"Well, you'll be really good at it," Harry offered politely. Then he wondered something else about the new professor, "Do you think he'll be a good teacher?" As Harry's dad had said before, they hadn't really had a good Defense teacher yet.

"He was... a good student when we were in school. I believe he will be a more competent instructor than you have previously had, though that is saying very little. You will have to tell me how the class progresses." Harry got the impression that his father wanted to keep track of the werewolf professor.

"You went to school at the same time?" Harry asked curiously. That was too interesting a piece of information to not question.

"Yes," his father hesitated. "He was a friend of James Potter and Sirius Black." He sounded… final, like he was hoping Harry wouldn't ask about it.

"Is- there anything else you want me to know?" Harry asked carefully instead. He usually got more information out of his dad that way.

"I had already had him questioned, and he had no knowledge of Black's escape prior to it being publicized, or of his current whereabouts, or any intention to assist the man. I just want you to be exceptionally careful during full moons, especially conscious of when moon rise is during those times."

"I will," Harry promised. A _werewolf_ teacher. That was actually pretty cool. The man probably had some really unique experiences because of that. But, Harry supposed he shouldn't ask about them if most of the castle, or at least the students, wouldn't know about the professor's condition. But, he almost _couldn't_ be worse than Lockheart. Harry wondered if the library had a better book on werewolves than the one Lockheart wrote.

Harry smiled to himself, thinking that he couldn't tell Hermione _that_ thought, or she'd never let it go.

 **A/N: Please let me know if you liked it! This chapter was a little short, but some scenes that I wanted to get out, and I am currently scrambling to write Harry's third year. I did make a few changes to the questioning portion after first posting. I couldn't imagine Severus not questioning a friend of Sirius Black just happening to come to Hogwarts.**


	39. Chapter 39 Different Monsters

Chapter 39- Different Monsters

*****Harry*****

Ron and Hermione had been doing so much traveling that summer, that they didn't all have a day free to go to Diagon Alley together until the day before they would meet again on the Hogwarts Express. Harry appreciated that his father let him go, even though they had already been to Diagon Alley to get Harry's supplies before the supply lists had even been mailed out to families. It reduced the crowds that way, Harry's father had explained.

There was a lot of extra security in the alley, aurors whom Tonks seemed to know and waved or nodded to each they passed. Harry was glad that Tonks had been able to come with them. The three settled on Flourish and Blotts first, both in hopes of finding Ron and Hermione, and perhaps more importantly to his father, to get into a calm place out of the crowds. The inside of the bookstore was far from quiet, almost as bad as the place had been the year before when Lockheart was there.

Screams tore through the air, but they definitely weren't human. Harry turned to see that just inside the door, in front of the windows, there was a large metal cage with dozens of copies of The _Monster Book of Monsters_ in it, which definitely hadn't been there before the book lists were sent out. It seemed like a pretty bad idea to keep those books all together, from the way there were torn pages everywhere, even slipping outside of the cage. Some kids that didn't even look old enough for Hogwarts were gathered around, egging the fighting books on, even if the books didn't seem to notice their crowd.

Harry might have been lingering around the cage too long himself.

"Another Hogwarts third year?" a man who Harry thought was a manager asked. Did the man recognize him, or just see him looking at the cage and thought Harry looked like the right age? Harry was so used to everyone thinking he was younger than he was, but he had grown a lot lately. The man was picking up a strange looking stick was pushing his way towards the monster book cage. "Clear the way! I don't why every student wants to take this class every year. It's supposed to be an _elective_ , but it seems like every third, fourth, and fifth year has made me open that cage."

"No, no, sir, I've already got my copy," Harry hurried to explain, sorry that he hadn't earlier.

"Oh thank heavens. I can't tell you how many times I've been bitten this summer. If you ask me, students really need to more closely consider Muggle Studies. Now _those_ books are nice and harmless, and we never sell as many as we stock.

"Thank you, sir," Harry said, even though the man hadn't really done anything for him and he had no intention of taking Muggle Studies.

"Harry!" came unmistakably Ron's voice. Harry turned to see all of the Weasleys piling through the door and spreading out around the store.

"And you have your copy of Monster Book of Monsters already as well, young man?" the man who was still hovering asked.

"No, but I'll need one," Ron said happily. "Can't wait for Creatures class. And my brothers need them too, I think. Unless the older years have another book."

The poor manager paled and looked like he might cry or perhaps faint. Harry heard Tonks coughing behind him, which he suspected was covering a laugh.

"Stunning them works pretty well. And if you stroke their spine, they stay still I think until you close the book again," Harry offered, hoping to help the unfortunate man.

The shop wizard looked at Harry like he was crazy, "There's a hundred of them. I can't stun them all. And they move around so fast. We simply won't stock them again and whatever insane teacher ordered them will have to manage with something else or the students can shop elsewhere."

Harry turned away from the unhappy man back to his friend, who was watching the book cage as well. The red head tore his eyes away and grabbed a book from the nearest display "Here's our next one, I guess. _Unfogging the Future_ ," he said and flipped to the index. "Tea leaves, palmistry, crystal balls, what- bird entrails? No thank you- wouldn't even eat those. Still, seems cheerier than that book about Death Omens. Glad we don't need that one."

"So- Ron- er, I was thinking I'd take Arithmancy with Hermione instead of Divination. I'm- sorry I didn't say before," Harry rushed out uncomfortably. His father had already turned in the form to McGonagall, and she had said that she had made the schedule work, so it was probably too late to switch again now.

Harry risked a glance at his friend, and saw that he was smiling, "I thought about dropping it too. I'm not touching Arithmancy though."

Well, that went better than Harry had expected, "Then what do you want to take?" Harry remembered that it was probably too late for his friend to switch too, but maybe the classes wouldn't conflict.

"I- thought I might take… Muggle Studies. Just from hearing things from my dad and Hermione, I thought I should er- know more about muggle stuff. I talked to Professor McGonagall, and she said I could start three electives and drop the one I didn't like so I -er thought I might do that. But now I'll just drop Divination before I start it and not even bother with the book. Professor McGonagall didn't say anything directly, but I don't think she thinks much of Divination. What does your dad think?" Ron questioned.

Harry looked back at his dad who was in sight but probably could hear. He lowered his voice anyway. "He doesn't trust it either. And I think he _really_ doesn't like the teacher. She hardly ever comes to meals, but you might have seen her- she's the one with the big glasses and crazy hair.

"She does seem a little nutters. Well, it's good news if it's one fewer book to buy for me. Mum won't mind too much if I tell her why. She can't mind me wanting to focus on Muggle Studies if she married Dad."

Ron finally had the mad book thrust into his hand by the now more harried manager. It was open and still, so the man must have taken Harry's advice. Harry's dad stepped in and bound the book up for Ron. That was nice of him.

"Harry! Ron!" the third member of their group had arrived.

"Hermione!" both boys called back.

"You'll have to tell the manager that he needs to get another book out. Bit of bad luck for him," Ron said, though he looked interestedly at the wild book cage again.

"Oh no, I had my books sent to me as soon as I got my list. We were in France, but we spent a fair amount of time in the magical community there, and they have an excellent international courier service. But oh, the poor owl! I wouldn't have done it if I'd known the book would actually be _monstrous_! Thank goodness the creature wasn't hurt, but it was so scared. She was such a good owl to bring such a thing so far. It really made me wonder if owls should be made to do such a thing. I mean, I know they are different than typical, wild owls, but it doesn't seem like they are given much choice in the matter. I'll have to research the history of magical owl usage. I wonder if there's a book on it here."

"Have you been able to read the book?" Harry asked, half as a distraction, though maybe she did have a point for some owls. Hedwig liked helping him though.

"No! And I'm going to be so behind because I can't read it. If I just had someone around to stun it for me, I think that would work. I even researched freezing and stunning spells, but of course I can't _use_ them. Has your father done anything to the book for you, Harry?"

"He- ah, stunned it when I first opened it, but Hagrid told me how to manage it. You have to stroke down it's spine. Sorry I didn't mention it. I didn't think you'd be getting the book until today." He'd told them that Hagrid was their new teacher, of course, but in his letters he hadn't mentioned the… less than pleasant book. "What _do_ you need today?" Harry asked, looking for another new topic.

"I'll need a stop by the apothecary for more potions supplies. Some new quills. A new set or two of robes. And… my parents gave me with some money that I had intended to purchase an owl with but… perhaps I'll look at a variety of animals."

"The Magical Menagerie is where I got Godric," Harry suggested. "They have all sorts of animals."

"Sounds good," Ron agreed. "I need to ask about some medicine for Scabbers," he said, patting a pocket. "I don't think Egypt agreed with him, and he hasn't been looking so good in the last few weeks. Maybe he could tell that those old, dead, Egyptians were so crazy about cats."

"But we need to do that last so I'm not carrying around a… new pet around for the rest of the day," Hermione pointed out.

Harry and Ron more or less followed Hermione around the next few stops. Ron picked up a few things for potions, but neither of the boys needed any writing supplies.

Harry could hardly believe that Hermione really did need new robes, because she was still a few inches shorter than he was. But he had really just grown that much. Harry was still used the her practically towering over him in his first year- though not as much as Ron still did.

Inside Magical Menagerie at last, the three young teens each went to the areas they were interested in. Harry thought that Hermione was wandering over to the cats, the largest area of the store by far. Harry could tell that the store worker that Ron was talking to was trying to get Ron to buy one of those sleek, young rats, but Harry knew that would never work.

Harry went straight for the back left corner, where the snakes were. It was always interesting to talk to different snakes, even if he had no interest in another pet. Tonks seemed to be looking at tanks with toads in him, but his father followed Harry over to the snakes.

"Are you alright there, Harry?"

"Yeah, I'm doing well. I'm sad that summer's over, but it's great to see Ron and Hermione." He would enjoy seeing his friends all the time, and the rest of Gryffindor, and playing quidditch. But he would miss seeing Tonks as much, and being with his father all the time. And most of his classes weren't as exciting at lessons with just his dad. And there would be homework…

Harry's father cleared his throat and Harry looked up. "Not thinking Godric needs a friend, are you?"

"He and Salazar get on well by themselves," Harry grinned. "I just like to visit."

"So long as you are discrete," Harry's father murmured, stepping back but not going out of sight.

 _"Are they good to you here?"_ Harry hissed at the closest snake.

"OUCH" Harry heard Ron yell, and Harry immediately left the serpents.

"NO, CROOKSHANKS, NO!" came the voice that must have been the store worker.

Harry came around the corner to see Ron running out the door, "Scabbers!" Ron yelled.

Harry followed quickly, with Tonks just behind him, his father following.

"Accio rat," Tonks called. She screamed at the large black rat that flew to her hand that definitely wasn't Scabbers. "Damn," she hissed and half placed, half dropped the thing.

A moment later, it seemed that Harry's dad used the same spell, and held a squirming Scabbers in his hand, but looked quite displeased about it as he handed the rat back to Ron.

"It's alright Scabbers," Ron said, stroking his small pet. Scabbers didn't look comforted. Harry got a good look at the rat for the first time that day. He looked pretty bad. He was thinner than the fat rat had been before, and his fur didn't look so good. "Oh, I need to go back and get his medicine."

"Harry? Ron?" Hermione's voice called by the main road. She was holding a large ginger cat, bigger than any cat Harry had ever seen. It had a squashed face and looked unhappy, but maybe that was just the way it looked.

"What?! Oh Hermione, you bought _that_ one?! Wasn't there a better one? He _scratched_ me and terrified Scabbers. Look at how he's shaking!" Ron also shook slightly in his fervor.

Hermione looked slightly uncertain, "They- said they'd had him too long and didn't know what to do with him so… I took him Ron, but he won't be a problem."

"Of course no one _wanted_ him, he's a monster!"

Hermione raised an eyebrow. "He's just a cat. It's just instinct to go after rats, and you were blocking his way. He didn't mean it. And I got you your rat tonic. You forgot it."

"I didn't forget it," Ron grumbled.

"What was that?" Hermione asked. "And Crookshanks will live in my dormitory and Scabbers in yours. So don't worry about it."

Ron placed his rat in his front pocket where he often kept him and clutched the lump as he stared mistrustfully at the now purring cat in Hermione's arms. Ron didn't say anything else as the group walked back to the Leaky Cauldron where they were meeting the other Weasleys and the Grangers.

"Mr. Weasley, how are you doing?" Harry asked loudly, hoping he was doing a favor to the harried looking Dr. Granger who was looking like she would rather be elsewhere.

"Oh quite well, busy of course. Quite a bit of work piled up while I was off on vacation, and then when I get back there I the… business with Sirius Black. They have a lot of us Ministry workers pulled off of our normal jobs to help with the search. Just little things, not like your team of course," he nodded in Tonk's direction.

"We appreciate all of it, Arthur," Tonks waved off his comment on her team, which Harry knew was heading up the search for Black.

"I believe we should be going, with the day ahead for the children tomorrow," Harry's father suggested, and everyone listened. Harry's dad commanded an audience, even wasn't it just students.

"Thank you, Professor," Percy said, inclining his head. And thank you for your work, Miss Tonks," Percy said, half bowing again and this time grabbing Tonks's hand and shaking it formally.

As the elder Weasleys herded their children to the floo, George taunted, "Percy, was that a bow?"

"And you really shouldn't be trying to impress Tonks," Fred chimed in. "Our esteemed Potions master might find issue with it."

"And I'm sure he'd know lots of potions that would make your death look like an accident." George finished.

Harry didn't think anyone but he and maybe Tonks caught the amusement in his father's expression. It would be nice to go back to seeing the Weasleys every day- at the very least, nothing was every boring for too long.

*****Severus*****

Severus sat, sipping hot chocolate that he had told Milly was for Harry, but he didn't think the elf had believed him.

At some point Severus Snape had become someone who noticed, even _cared_ , what a house elf thought of him.

Harry was _saddened_ that summer was over. Of course, he knew that this was normal of most children, even if it had never been true of Severus. Harry _enjoyed_ his time in the quiet, old castle with mostly only Severus for company. The boy rarely even saw any of the staff except Hagrid.

And the day after next, they would return to seeing each other almost exclusively from the other side of a desk.

But all of this was only a happy distraction compared to the news Severus had recently learned, the nature of the increased security around Hogwarts.

Albus had told him personally in his office, and Severus was of a mind to never set foot in that room again, because good news was never conveyed in a private meeting in Dumbledore's office.

 _Dementors_.

There would be dementors perhaps as close as a kilometer from where he would sleep, guarding the border of the grounds. The forest was accounted for as well, and the centaurs were furious about the monsters in and around their domain, and Severus couldn't blame them.

Since his brief stint in Azkaban that had felt like an eternity, Severus couldn't possibly hate any creatures more than those happiness-sucking nightmares.

He hated them.

He didn't trust them.

But if they would protect Harry, he wouldn't complain of his personal discomfort. That didn't mean that he would get a good night of sleep until Black was captured and he and the horrible creatures were back where they belonged. And so Severus sipped his hot chocolate and hoped for sleep.

 **A/N: So, I had them get their things on the last day like in canon, but didn't have Hermione getting her books, because I think she would have found a way to get them earlier. Don't they have summer work? I mean, I can believe they don't have any in their new subjects, but what about Charms and Transfiguration where they just need the next book in the series? Ron would be fine for his summer work, because I imagine that he just uses an old book of one of his brothers anyway, and just buys the books that new teachers assign. Also, it's completely unreasonable that the Weasleys would have bought so many sets of the Lockheart books in book two instead of just having the children share a couple sets… but I didn't go into that. Rant over.**

 **Also, a few hours after posting the last chapter, I had inspiration (from a review) to change some of Severus's questioning a bit. So, if you read it just as I put it up, you might want to check back, though nothing major plot-wise changed, just some wiser questions for him to ask and something interesting you might catch.**

 **Please review to tell me how you liked the chapter. Back to Hogwarts and onto Harry's third year next chapter! I'm trying to get everything ready so I don't have to take a break before posting more chapters.**


	40. Chapter 40 The Train (Year 3)

Chapter 40- The Train

*****Severus*****

Severus looked around the platform. They were early, and the crowds were still small, but they would be more considerable soon. Even though the elf that had caused them problems the year before was long since handled, Severus felt uneasy at the station, and he would most certainly be riding the train again. He was far too lenient to allow Harry to ride the train at all, when it wasn't remotely necessary, but the child didn't ask for much, so he… couldn't in good conscious refuse. And Dora had said that she would be there as well, and the Headmaster had been willing to meet that request.

Severus was more anxious about the year ahead. It didn't help that this day was _already_ the first full moon of the school year. _Remus Lupin_. Severus didn't like the man being at the school, and if that made him prejudiced, then it was one that he held with good reason. Not necessarily against werewolves as a whole- though he had some reasonably based aversion after a certain past incident- but definitely to this werewolf in particular. One of the 'Marauders.'

Remus Lupin hadn't been the worst of them, no- Sirius Black and James Potter vied for that position, though Black certainly won it in the end. But it was not- comfortable to have a childhood enemy become part of your work space. And if that childhood enemy turned into a bloodthirsty beast regularly, that was all the worse. Even after personally questioning the man under Veritaserum, Severus felt ill at ease at the thought of any friend of Sirius Black being anywhere near his son.

And the man swore that he would take whatever potions he needed to be able to function to teach his first classes the next day, but Severus had already been forced to do the necessary preparations to be certain, so he might as well just teach the children at this point.

"There's Hermione- I'm going to go see her, okay?" Harry asked at his side, interrupting Severus's thoughts.

"Don't leave this side of the platform," Severus called. He didn't care to see muggle London again.

It did nothing to improve his mood to know the most recent precaution that would be surrounding the school by the time they returned. Nothing would happen, he had been assured. And Harry would know to go nowhere near the boundaries of the school. And if Severus had any need to visit Hogsmeade, he would be taking the floo. Except perhaps to follow Harry there on Hogwarts' Hogsmeade weekends. Severus sighed, watching Harry greet his little friends.

*****Harry*****

Hermione and Harry settled their things in the compartment in the very back, even though there were still plenty of compartments open. Harry liked being out of the way, and this was easy to find.

"How was your summer, Harry?" his friend asked when they had everything stowed away.

"It was good. How about yours?"

"Very nice. We went to France again. I so hated that I missed your birthday, Harry, especially because Ron missed it as well, but I really hope you still had a good time. Oh, and won't it be interesting to hear all of the history that Ron must have learned. There was quite a lot that I saw in France, as well. Now, what did you _do_ this summer?"

"Um- not much, really. School work and stuff. Flying. Draco came over once. Tonks was around a bunch. I had some defense lessons with my dad and sometimes Tonks- learned a few new spells and practiced some I already kne-"

"What?! You got to learn new spells over the holiday?" Harry hadn't thought to not mention that part to not make his studious friend jealous.

"Well- yeah."

"How did your dad even _let_ you do that? It clearly violates the Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery. Was it because you were at Hogwarts? I've read about the 'trace' but there isn't very precise information that I can find, perhaps because the Ministry wouldn't want underage witches and wizards to know exactly the limitations, but it stands to reason that they wouldn't monitor Hogwarts. So, is that it then- they don't monitor Hogwarts?"

"Um-" It wasn't like he was going to lie to his friend, even though he was pretty sure that she wouldn't like the answer. "Actually it- doesn't really work anywhere they expect adults to be using magic," Harry said slowly.

"What?!" so purebloods _and_ halfbloods don't have to follow the rules?" Hermione shrieked. Harry hoped she wasn't going to start crying or something.

"I was only allowed to use magic when Dad was giving me lessons," Harry said quickly. He- wasn't sure if that was precisely true because- honestly magic usage never came up other than that. His dad didn't use magic for every little thing, and Harry never saw a reason to either. He still felt like a muggle in some ways, and there were the elves if they really needed anything anyway. Whereas the adult Weasleys used magic for just about everything.

"And the Weasleys don't use magic at home at all, except for Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. None of them know how the trace works, or Fred and George would be using magic all the time." Or maybe like his father suspected, they did use magic, but only in their own room when their mother wasn't around. "And look, I see the Weasleys coming through the wall now," Harry said with relief. After almost missing the train last year, he was glad to see his friend arrive on time.

"You go, and I'll stay here to save our compartment," Hermione said, and Harry couldn't help but feel bad that she wasn't as happy as before he mentioned the magic. It really wasn't fair that muggleborns couldn't get away with as much…

He ran into Neville on the way to the door of the train, and told the other boy where Hermione was and that he'd be back soon.

Harry heard Percy's voice first, and darted towards the large family of red heads.

"I don't see why we still take that old car," Percy was saying, "I could have just apparated to the station, and the younger ones could have at least used the floo."

"Oh, but it's _tradition_. And it's your last ride to school. You're the third one to do this to me. You kids just won't stop growing up," Mrs. Weasley was getting a little teary. "Oh hello, Harry dear, good to see you again so soon."

"Thank you, Mrs. Weasley."

"Hey," Ron said, hoisting his trunk forward.

"Hermione and Neville are saving a compartment," Harry explained.

"Good-bye Mrs. Weasley, Mr. Weasley," Harry called. Mr. Weasley looked over and waved. He had been talking to the Grangers again, always finding more questions about muggle life. Mrs. Weasley swept in and gave Harry a hug, before giving a last one to her youngest son. The twins had already disappeared sometime before Percy, evidently, but Ginny still lingered, halfway behind her mother.

"Good-bye, dears."

"See you on the train Ginny. If you want, there's plenty of room in our compartment," Harry offered.

Ginny blushed a bit, but her voice was steady, "Luna's saving me a space. People tend to avoid her, so it makes for a roomy compartment."

"Well, she'd be welcome too," Harry called, walking after Ron.

Harry helped Ron get his trunk onto the train. He did appreciate not lugging one around for himself. They got into the compartment as the train whistle was starting to blow, giving a last warning to board the train.

Hermione was at the windows, waving to her parents when Harry and Ron entered the compartment. Ron rushed over to do the same to his own parents, and Harry went along to wave to the Weasleys as well. His own father would be somewhere on the train already, and Harry would probably even see him a few times in the trip. Harry noticed that Neville was sitting in a seat, staring off blankly. There was no one waiting for him to wave.

"How was Egypt, Ron?" Hermione asked when the station was no longer in sight. "I had a wonderful time in France. There is so much more of historical significance than I could have known. It's so interesting to see history from the perspective of both a muggle and a witch, but I'm sure you know all about that from visiting Egypt."

"It was really great," Ron started in awkwardly. Harry thought that Ron's favorite parts probably wouldn't have been Hermione's. Gory mummies tended to interest Ron (and probably Harry too) more than he thought Hermione would want to hear about them. "Wicked sweet, really. But the best part was seeing Bill because- well, I hadn't seen him in a couple of years… But the pyramids were great. Lots of them are hidden from muggles because they've got so much magical stuff still in them. Lots of their kings erm, not exactly kings- they were worshipped like gods, er-"

"Pharaohs," Hermione cut in but didn't say more, interested in what Ron was saying apparently.

"Yeah, pharaohs. Loads of pharaohs were wizards and witches. That helped them keep control in their families. Some of the people who work with Bill there also work on muggle sites, mostly squibs or muggleborns, and every couple of years or decades when a place is clear of magic and okay for muggles to see, one of them will pretend to discover it as a muggle, and be famous among the muggles for it, or at least sort of famous." That was a lot more history than Harry had expected Ron to pick up.

"I know it sounds kinda- dishonest, but there are some really nasty curses in some of the pyramids, and when muggles did find them and break in, it erm- didn't go well for them. Ginny didn't get to see some of those places, but I saw all of them. Skeletons with extra heads or missing heads, and all that stuff," Ron said excitedly. That was more what Harry had been expecting from Ron, especially based on the letter he'd gotten from Ron about it. That conversation could probably last them all the way to Hogwarts once Ron got to talking. Hermione seemed to be considering his words carefully.

Harry drifted in and out of the conversation as Hermione recounted her trip in more details as well. Nothing in France seemed as interesting as two headed skeletons.

"I do hope we have time to go over ancient Egyptian magic in Ancient Runes. It seems so different than the other ancient cultures that I've looked at. Though, the Babylonians were particularly interesting as well," Hermione went on. Apparently the conversation had drifted back to Egypt. Harry was glad that Hermione still enjoyed her history stuff, even if she didn't respect Binns anymore. She wouldn't be Hermione if she didn't love her books.

"Yeah, third year will be great. I mean, except for the extra classes, but at least we got to pick them," Ron joked. Harry didn't think Ron would actually mind his new classes too much. He seemed to be genuinely interested in both Muggle Studies and Care of Magical Creatures, especially after they found out that Hagrid was teaching that class. "But most importantly, we get to go to Hogsmeade."

"Ooh, I've read quite a lot about Hogsmeade. You know, it's the only entirely wizarding settlement in all of Britain. And it's been the site of loads of important historical events, particularly during the 1612 goblin rebellion-" Hermione was going on. Harry wondered if that was in their history book. He hadn't actually read much history- or listened in class for a while, which his dad probably wouldn't be happy about but… "Have you been to the town?" Hermione asked Ron finally.

"Yeah, I have, and there's tons of great stuff and um- history, but the best by far is Honeydukes. It's the biggest candy store I've ever seen, and loads of interesting stuff too- not just the basic chocolate frogs and things. They've got sherbert balls that make you levitate, and- and sugar quills that really look like quills- maybe you'd like them. And the Three Broomsticks is great too. You've got to try butterbeer- butterbeer's a wizard thing isn't it?" Ron checked with Harry quickly, and he nodded back. Neville was nodding along excitedly with the conversation too. Harry supposed that Neville must have visited there as well.

"You've been too, Harry, haven't you? What's it like?" Hermione prompted him.

Harry shrugged, "It's kinda like Diagon Alley except fewer stores and it has a bunch of houses and flats, because people actually live there, but not in the part of the town that students would visit," he offered off-handedly, "But it's great." Harry was just glad that Hermione seemed to have perked up again after the whole muggle-raised are the only ones who can't practice magic in the summer thing. It would be pretty fun to see Hogsmeade with most of the school there. It had seemed pretty quiet when he had been there before. "Have you been there, Neville?" Harry asked. The boy has been quiet for most of the trip, and had disappeared for some of it. Harry… wasn't really sure who Neville was close to, but he'd try to be friendlier to the quiet boy.

"Yeah, Gran has some friends who live there. It's mostly old people, I think, but she's taken me a few times. Dogweed and Deathcap has some really interesting magical plants, and um… Dervish and Banges has some.. really interesting items and they do really good repairs," Neville looked sheepish and Harry wondered how many things Neville had broken that had needed to be mended at the store. And there's a bookstore that you'll like, Hermione, Tombs and Scrolls."

As the four teens were talking about the village, the train began to slow.

"Finally! I'm ready to get to the feast," Ron announced.

"We haven't been on the train long enough," Hermione said slowly. It always arrives at exactly the same time, except a few minutes late last year," she said with a glance at Harry and Ron.

The situation went from strange to ominous when all the lights flickered and then went completely off. The young wizards and witch scrambled around, though Harry wasn't sure what he was trying to accomplish. They should probably all just sit back down, but he fleetingly thought of heading into the dark corridor to yell for his dad.

"Do you- think the train's broken?" That was Neville's voice. It was a good question, Harry thought. Could magical trains break down? The train was magical wasn't it? Not running on muggle technology surely? Harry sat down again. It wasn't like he could do anything to fix the train. And he wasn't feeling great. He was cold, but it was probably just that the lamps went out.

"It looks like some people are getting on the train," Ron said, squinting out the window, "But the train never makes other stops."

"Maybe someone missed the train," Harry said, though he didn't believe it. Someone would just get that student to Hogwarts another way. And that wouldn't explain why all the lights went out. "We should just sit down," he said.

The door slid open, and Harry bit his lip so he wouldn't scream. "Ron?" a small voice asked. _Ginny_. When the door had opened, he was really sure that the rest of the train was just as dark as their compartment.

"You okay?" Ron asked. "Come over here," Ron said, settling on the bench next to Harry.

"I was just coming to see you when the lights went out, but I need to go back soon and make sure Luna's okay." Her voice sounded as nervous as Harry felt.

There was a moment when Ginny almost sat on him before he yelped something, and Harry was pretty sure she made it to the other side of Ron.

When the door opened again, "Who's there?" Ron asked bravely. No one answered, but Harry heard some raspy breathing. Hermione finally had the sensible idea to light her wand with a lumos spell, and in that moment, Harry wished she hadn't.

The creature, for it wasn't human for sure, was terrifying. Harry couldn't see anything except a hand coming out from under its cloak, but it was gray and slimy and looked… dead. It was _making_ the coldness that Harry was feeling, so much worse now that the thing was coming into the room with them. Harry stood, probably to do something stupid that wasn't planned out, but what could he do. Wand grasped in hand, Harry was just thinking that he should at least try to stun it- when he couldn't feel anything, anything but the cold.

"Stupify," Harry managed, but it did nothing. The spell met its target but had no effect. Blood was rushing in his ears, so loud that he couldn't hear anything else, until he heard the _scream_.

"Harry! Harry! Wake up!" Hermione, and he thought Ron too, was shaking his shoulder, shouting at him.

"What?" Harry asked, finding himself on the floor. The lights were on. The train was moving and Tonks was standing over him.

"What- was that thing?" someone, Harry thought it was Neville, asked.

"A dementor. One of the guards of Azkaban. You okay, Harry?" Tonks asked him. Tonks. His dad had mentioned that she would be working on the train. Harry nodded though he felt awful.

"Hermione, can you go get all the chocolate you can carry from the trolley witch? We'll pay whatever. And Ron, can you go get Harry's dad?" Tonks asked.

Hermione and Ron headed for the door, but Ron's task wasn't needed.

"Harry?" His dad was there.

"I'm fine," Harry muttered. He looked around the cabin. Everyone else seemed pretty shaken up. Neville was actually rocking back and forth slowly. Ginny was hugging her small knees in the corner. Ron just seemed to notice as well and went and put an arm around his sister, still glancing back at Harry though. Harry realized that he was- on the floor? Had he passed out after trying to stun the thing? His dad was already helping him stand and sit down again in one of the seats.

"Don't speak of what you saw or heard to anyone outside of this cabin," his dad was instructing his friends. Harry grimaced. He wouldn't want the school learning how badly he'd freaked out.

"Was- someone screaming? A woman?" Harry asked slowly. Now that he had a few moments to think, he was pretty sure there wouldn't be an adult woman screaming on the Hogwarts express. It definitely wasn't the trolley lady, and it wasn't Tonks. Maybe it was one of the older students.

"No, mate," Ron answered.

"That would be the dementor influence," his father had the answer. "They- make a person experience their worst memories. It- naturally more severely effects those who have been through worse experiences." Harry thought that his dad's eyes traveled over to Ginny for a moment. She had been through a lot last year, hadn't she?

"Yeah, but no one else fainted," Harry groused, feeling ridiculous with himself. It wasn't like he had a bad life. He had a lot of things going well for him now.

. "I thought I was going to," Ginny spoke up shakily.

"I felt it," Ron said. "Like I'd never be happy again," the boy said solemnly.

"You doubtless will be shortly. You have medical order to eat as much chocolate as you want," his father said, noting Hermione's arrival with the sweets. "Best to have some to save for later as well."

"What did you do to get rid of that thing?" it was Ginny who asked the question to Tonks.

"A patronus charm," she answered. Harry tried to think of where he'd heard of the spell. It had been from his father. Yes, his father had said that they could be used for messages, but also for fighting some dark creatures. "All of the aurors have to learn It, and I'd wager that most of your professors can too. Maybe some of the seventh years."

Harry felt silly, like a little kid as he leaned against his dad's shoulder, but he didn't care enough to move. With some more prompting, Harry started nibbling on the chocolate now in his hands. There wasn't really much talking in the cabin after that, maybe because his dad was still sitting with them, but maybe just because they had all felt that strange creature, the dementor. Tonks went around the rest of the train handing out chocolate, and she said everyone else looked shaken up too, but was fine.

Harry's dad stayed with them, taking the carriage with Harry, which he definitely hadn't done the year before. He even walked to the Gryffindor table with the Gryffindor third years, which must have looked strange to the rest of the hall. Harry appreciated it though.

"You can talk to me about this whenever you feel comfortable," his father told him, glancing up at the Head Table where Harry knew he should already be sitting.

"I'll be fine. Really," Harry assured him. His dad raised an eyebrow, but finally turned and left. Harry looked around to see all of his friends around him. Almost all.

"Where's Hermione?" Harry asked.

Ron answered, "McGonagall took her away. She said it was nothing bad though."

Harry tried to sit calmly and listen to the sorting. No one really stood out too much. There were no more Weasleys to be sorted, and Harry didn't recognize any of the family names, except maybe one girl who went to Slytherin. He thought she had a sister in Slytherin in Harry's year. But even though the Slytherins weren't mean to him anymore, he didn't spend time with any of them, except sometimes Draco.

Hermione showed up again just as Dumbledore finished saying a few words. He announced that Hagrid was the new Care of Magical Creatures teacher, which Harry already knew, and he said that their new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor should be arriving sometime the next day, and if he was unable to arrive in time, Harry's dad would be covering the class.

Harry knew the lunar calendar well enough by now to know why the new professor was _really_ late, but he didn't say anything as food appeared on the tables. Harry didn't think he'd be hungry after so much chocolate, but he ate the food anyway. Hogwarts's feast days were the best.

Hermione said that she was just talking to McGonagall about her schedule, but Harry didn't see why, since they'd get their time tables in the morning. It did sound like she was taking every class she possibly could though, so maybe she had to take some weird times or on her own or something. His father had mentioned how difficult scheduling could be.

Getting to sleep was difficult that night, slipping into thoughts of that creepy monster-thing, the dementor, that he saw, and the voice that it made him hear. His father had said that people heard their worst memories, but his worst memories were at the Dursleys' house, and that wasn't Aunt Petunia screaming. Or at least, he didn't think it was. He couldn't remember anything especially bad happening with a woman screaming. Could it really be that bad of a memory if he couldn't even remember?

Couldn't remember…

His mother.

Harry knew then, lying in his bed in the dark, listening to the breathing of the other boys in his dorm who were already asleep before him, that he had heard his mother's voice right before she died. What else could be so bad of a memory? Sleep wouldn't come easy that night.

 **A/N: Back for another term. Fun fact, Sept 1, 1993 was actually a full moon, so there's no way that Lupin should have been at the feast at all, and probably shouldn't have been riding on the train, or at least I couldn't see Severus being alright with it, just in case. I had actually already written this chapter with him in it before looking up a full moon calendar, and decided that it was too interesting not to rewrite then.**


	41. RECAP and Chapter 41 Third First Day

RECAP (skip to the chapter below if you don't need it)

 **A/N: I know it can be hard to keep up with what has gone on in a long story, so I wanted to add a recap here before proceeding into year 3.**

 **Year One (Chapters 1-12):**

 **Beginning:** So, the story starts a few weeks into the term of Harry's first year. Harry gets into a fight and is injured by Crabbe and Goyle. Severus catches them all and sends Harry to the hospital wing. Madame Pomfrey recognizes that he is hiding his injuries with metamorphmagus abilities and helps set up lessons with Tonks. Tonks helps Harry find his base form in the first lesson and realizes that he looks like a young Severus Snape. Tonks confronts Severus and makes him deal with all this.

 **Severus and Harry:** After a shaky beginning, Severus does his best to be a good father for Harry, though he constantly underestimates how well he is doing and is rather hard on himself.

 **Tonks and Severus:** The two slowly grow closer and eventually begin to date at the end of Harry's first year (started with a bet that Tonks won and asked for a date as her prize.) Severus also has some small metamorphmagus abilities, but not enough to be particularly useful in life. (I take the stance that it is a semi-random ability that tends to run in families, but Tonks and Harry happen to be particularly gifted at it.) Tonks and Severus officially get together in chapter 13, and he starts thinking of her as Dora after about that point.

 **Harry and Tonks:** Harry continues to have lessons with Tonks and comes to like and trust her. He finally encourages his dad to not ignore that Tonks likes him.

 **Major plot points** do not stray too much from canon in Harry's first year. Harry puts the mystery together about the Philosopher's stone while Severus is away from the castle on a date with Tonks, and McGonagall still doesn't listen to them so they go down and face the challenges alone (though they had figured out that it was Quirrell.)

 **Other notable character development growth over time:**

 **Draco** is Severus's godson, so he knows that he can't hate Harry anymore, and slowly they become pleasant acquaintances, with the possibility of friendship. An early sign is that he doesn't rat on Harry, Ron, and Hermione when he finds out about the dragon, so only he, Hermione, and Harry are in trouble that night, not Neville too. When they have detention and encounter danger in the forest, Draco grabs Harry's wrist and tries to get Harry to run too, instead of just running away himself.

 **Ron** was early on a constant reminder that Snape would be good to Harry now because that's what Dad's are _supposed_ to do. He saw that Quirrell was the one hexing Harry's broom in the first quidditch match because he refused to believe that it would be Harry's dad. He is becoming more responsible and cares a bit more about grades, especially in potions class.

 **Summer (Chapters 13-17):**

Harry gets a visit from Dobby, but his dad believes him and starts working on protections against house elves, and uses the floo instead of relying on communication by owl.

Draco visits and he and Harry can perhaps be called friends by this point. He spends the night and has a heartfelt discussion with Severus about half-bloods and muggle-borns. Draco also becomes interested in being a Chaser, perhaps because his goal in quidditch is not just to beat Harry Potter.

Harry also gets his pet snake, whom he names Godric because the snake is roughly Gryffindor colors. Severus found out early on that Harry was a Parseltongue when he found Harry talking to Salazar (Severus's snake, named in his childhood). Harry knows that this is an ability that people distrust, but he is not bothered by it and enjoys talking to the snakes.

 **Year Two (Chapters 18-33):** More significant departures from canon start happening in year two.

 **Notable character development:**

 **Hermione:** With help from Ron and Professor Snape, Hermione is learning to question undeserving authority. While she initially believes in Lockheart- because he is a professor and has published many books- Hermione grows to distrust the man and work to reveal his lies. She also learns about trusting worthy authority figures and seeks Professor Snape's help.

 **Major plot departures from canon:**

 **The Attacks/ The Chamber** \- Basilisk attacks: Mrs. Norris (during which Harry was in the dungeons with his father), Penelope Clearwater, a Hufflepuff prefect, and a fifth year Gryffindor. Clues were put together earlier because of Severus's involvement. Severus (instead of children and Lockheart) goes down to the Chamber of Secrets to save Ginny. This happens in early January instead of in late May.

 **Horcruxes** \- After interacting with young Tom, studying the destroyed diary, and outside research, Severus discovers that it is as horcrux and from what Tom Riddle said, Severus believes there are others as well. He shares this with Dumbledore, and they begin information gathering and horcrux hunting. He also shared the news with Dora and Harry. Albus finds the memory of Merope Gaunt and her family, and he and Severus determine that the locket and the ring are likely horcruxes. They find and destroy the ring, and though both are tempted by the horcrux to put it on, they are each able to stop the other, so neither is hurt.

 **Lockheart-** Since Lockheart did not lose his memory from Ron's broken wand (because Ron's wand was never broken and no one but Severus went down in the Chamber), it looks like we're stuck with him. Except, Hermione finds proof of his lies and presents it to Professor Snape. Severus sabotages a press conference that Lockheart arranged. Lockheart is publicly found fraudulent, fired, and his career ruined. He will suffer legal ramifications and his Order of Merlin has been stripped.

 **Summer (Chapters 34-39/40):**

Dobby and Draco- Dobby was not freed by Harry during the unravelling of Lucius Malfoy' plot. However, Draco returns home to find Dobby in pretty bad shape and ends up freeing Dobby himself, concealing the truth from his father. This is evidence of Draco growing and learning to questions the beliefs and action of his father.

Harry has some defense lessons with his father and Tonks. There is also Dora and Severus's anniversary and some bonding moments teaching Harry to swim in the lake.

Draco spends another day with Harry, for Harry's birthday. He enjoys visiting with Hagrid and flying. He has another serious conversation with Severus that night where he questions if his father is a bad wizard. Later that night, Sirius Black escaped from Azkaban and Tonks is put on the team attempting to capture him. Severus has a talk with both boys the next morning about being safe, and then an in depth conversation with Harry so that Harry is not in the dark in regards to Sirius Black.

Remus Lupin is given the Defense professor position, which Severus objects to, but Remus passes Severus's questioning under veritaserum to confirm that Remus had no knowledge of Sirius Black's escape or intention to aide him.

And now, Harry has taken the train back to Hogwarts, encountered the dementors, was saved by Tonks, and realized that it was his mother's voice that he heard screaming. Despite that, he is ready for the new year before him.

 **A/N: And there we go, a brief overview of what has happened. I left out some of the character development of Harry and Severus, because there is so much of it that it's hard to isolate. Harry is happier and doing well in school. Severus is happier and somewhat nicer to his students (there was a scene I like in chapter 28 of him dealing with the Weasley twins), learning that children react better with methods other than fear.**

 **I have done some editing to improve my earliest chapters, but I would like to do more. I hope this helps or that you completely ignore it and enjoy the chapter!**

Chapter 41- Third First Day

*****Harry*****

Harry dug into his breakfast as the time tables passed out. It was the first time that each of the schedules was had their names on it, because third year Gryffindors weren't all in the same class.

"Oi, what's this? They don't have us in Care of Magical Creatures at the same time," Ron remarked, comparing Harry's time table to his, frowning. Harry looked at the two schedules as well. Ron was scheduled for Muggle Studies first, followed by Transfiguration, Potions, and finished the day with Care of Magical Creatures. Harry had a free period first, then the same two core classes, and Arithmancy last. Harry wouldn't have Care of Magical Creatures until the next afternoon.

"There are multiple sections of electives just like any other class. The classes _usually_ fall around house divisions, but sometimes schedules conflict," Hermione said dismissively, not even looking at her own time table. But she'd already talked it over with Professor McGonagall, Harry supposed, because she was taking so many classes.

Ron grabbed Hermione's time table for comparison as well, "Oh, well, your schedule's _all_ wrong, so they'll _have_ to fix it. You've gone Muggle Studies with me first today, but they've also got you down for Divination at the same time. And Ancient Runes doesn't fit at all. See, here you have it at the same time as Divination, and over here, you have it at the same time as _Charms_. You can't miss one of the core classes with your house. They just don't _do_ that. You'll have to tell McGonagall- not a conversation I envy you for, but can you make sure you and Harry get in the right Creatures class too? Or get me moved?"

"Harry and I have Arithmancy when you have Care of Magical Creatures. But… maybe Professor McGonagall would move you," Hermione agreed doubtfully. Harry noticed that she didn't even need to check her time table to say all of that.

"Well, you'll have to get it fixed with her soon, because we're supposed to be in Muggle Studies soon. Unless you want to skip the first lesson and go to Divination until she figures it out?" Ron said but not like he liked the idea.

Hermione bit her lip, "No, no, I'll go to Muggle Studies, of course. There's only one class of third years for Muggle Studies. It's not a very popular elective. But I can figure out my schedule. Thank you, Ron," Hermione said offhandedly, but Ron grinned.

After breakfast in the common room with nothing to do, Harry only saw a few older students milling around. It seemed like every other third year Gryffindor was off taking Muggle Studies or Divination, or maybe even something else. Harry knew he would appreciate the slow morning after classes had really started, but now he was just bored, staring at the empty notice board. There weren't even any club announcements up yet.

"Harry, good to see you, lad! Did you have a nice summer? Get plenty of time out on the pitch? I've got to show you my new Nimbus 2001. Slytherin won't be ready for us, and you can loan your extra broom to one of the chasers. I think Katie would benefit from a better broom."

Harry smiled at Oliver Wood, his quidditch captain, always thinking about the game. Not that he could blame Oliver. This was Oliver's last year, his last chance at the Quidditch House Cup, and he knew the older boy hoped to make a professional team after he graduated.

"Yeah, my summer was great, and I flew with my snitch a lot."

"Splendid. Now, I'd like to update you on my plans for next season. I wanted to speak to the whole team last night, but… you were already in bed, and I was advised strongly not to wake you up. You'll _have_ to watch those girls when they get it in their heads to be motherly. Anyway, I am now posting a notice for tryouts," Oliver said, and pinned the paper to the board as he said so.

"Tryouts?" Harry asked, taken aback. It was probably wise to do so, but the year before, no one had had to re-earn their spot on the team. If there had been a real tryout his first year, Harry hadn't known about it- not that first years would have been allowed to try anyway. "Well, I'll do my best to prove myself to you again then."

"Oh no, not for _you_. I don't want to alter the cohesion of our team by even suggesting it. This is for reserves only, like we discussed at the end of last year. So you'd have another seeker to compete against. But, I have some slightly different ideas," Oliver explained, indicating the flyer. It said that they were looking to fill three reserve chaser spots and a reserve seeker.

Oliver looked around suspiciously to see if anyone would overhear, and then continued in a softer voice, "See, I've read about this before, and I think it's the most efficient way to practice. We have another seeker for you to practice against, and we have two teams of chasers, both trying to score against my one goal, so I get twice the practice as well. And I don't think more beaters is what we want, but instead, more _bludgers,_ adding a third one to the practice. We'll see how the twins do with the extra work, and if the team has to get better at dodging bludgers, then that is all the better for them."

Harry thought that it all did seem very exciting, if perhaps more dangerous than normal practice. "Sounds great, Oliver."

After a more entertaining hour than Harry expected, Harry sat in his first transfiguration class of the year, and it was proving interesting too. Professor McGonagall was talking about Animagi, wizards who could transform into animals at will after going through a lot of complicated preparations at the beginning. Professor McGonagall was intentionally vague on that point, but Harry was still hoping to take those steps one day, ideally under Professor McGonagall's directions. Professor McGonagall was focusing more on the theory and identification.

"Each animagus must be registered, along with the form's physical description and identifying traits," McGonagall said just before she transformed. When he was looking for it, Harry could see the markings of her glasses in the cat's fur. He wondered if she could just take the glasses off and avoid that marking. Her robes and glasses changed with her and reappeared when she changed back. Her wand stayed with her too, as far as Harry could tell. What about stuff in her pockets?

Ron started clapping, and Harry and Hermione quickly joined. The rest of the class seemed to lag before clapping too.

"Thank you Mr. Weasley, though I'm detecting less than full attention from the rest of the class," Professor McGonagall said. "Does anyone care to explain?" The class shifted uncomfortably and looked around, but Harry wasn't sure why. "I believe most of you were just in Divination class, yes?" she asked, met by nods of most of the class. "Tell me, Miss Granger, which of you will be dying this year?"

Harry realized that everyone besides he and Ron had been staring at Neville. "Neville," Hermione finally admitted, "Of course it all seems to be near baseless guesswork to me." But- hadn't Hermione been in Muggle Studies instead of Divination? But perhaps she'd simply already heard what happened. A look at Ron and Harry saw that he was looking at her like she had said she didn't like books anymore.

"I do not make it a secret that I agree with your sentiment, Miss Granger. I believe you should know, Mr. Longbottom, that Professor Trelawney singles out a student in each year or even each class, and predicts their death at every turn. If you weren't in the class, she would have simply targeted another student. You appear to be in excellent health to me, so you will excuse me if I don't let you off homework for the time being. I assure you that I you die, you need not hand it in."*

Harry couldn't contain a laugh, and Ron and Hermione couldn't either. Harry did feel quite bad for Neville though. He thought he would probably try to drop the class if it were him. Harry turned back to the front of the room and thoroughly enjoyed the rest of the class, paying attention but also imagining what animal he might one day turn into. A snake would be cool, he thought. Or anything that could fly. If he was a bird, could he talk to Hedwig, or did it not work like that?

*****Severus*****

Another year of dealing with the typical dunderheads who came under his domain. If he didn't sneer much at the eleven-year-olds, it was only because he had over the years learned that fear could cause as many potions errors as carelessness. It didn't mean he _liked_ the blighters. He was fortunately immune to pigtails and snotty little faces.

And whomever thought that double potions was needed for first and second years who could hardly brew anything more complicated and time consuming than soup, he would like to sequester _them_ in the room with the same children for more than two hours, because he couldn't at the moment fathom worse torture. And if that was the same person who enjoyed putting Slytherin and Gryffindor students together for _his_ subject- he really needed to petition for changes with Albus. _Severus wouldn't be complacent any longer._

Though in recent years, having young Gryffindors and Slytherins in the same room had been less of an issue. Even in Harry's year… there had been no active confrontations since early in Harry's first year. Draco had been more often keeping the company of Blaize Zabini, a somewhat arrogant boy from a family even richer than Draco's, but the family had no connections to Riddle, and the child was harmless enough. Severus had also noticed Draco in the company of Daphne Greengrass, a girl from a moderate pureblood family, and Tracy Davis, whom Severus doubted even Draco knew was a muggleborn. The girl was quite skilled at hiding that fact.

Severus had heard that Draco had been making friends in other houses, particularly with young Ravenclaws, something Severus would wish for Harry as well. The house system did keep children more divided than it should. Common rooms kept most social interaction within houses, and they had few spaces to genuinely interact with other children outside of classes. There was the library and the outdoors, but the library was meant to be silent, and the grounds only pleasant for so many afternoons of the year.

That separation had been something Severus had been thinking about since Dora had mentioned that she had been in each of the house's common rooms. It had seemed like such an invasion to him, but… perhaps she had gained more bonds with members of other houses in that way. There were some clubs that bridged houses, perhaps, but it had never been something that Severus had been interested in as a child.

If Draco was not watching over Crabbe and Goyle's potions, it meant Severus had to take a more active role in doing so, because the idiots were more worthless than Longbottom, the gap increasingly large at time went on, though Severus wouldn't admit it aloud.

And he _wasn't_ dwelling on this inane social structure because he was still very much alarmed by the train incident. He _wasn't_ feeling powerless because his concerns at an impromptu staff meeting had been met with the idea that the creatures were 'only looking for Black' and would have done 'nothing outside their bounds" set forth by the Ministry. Had the Minister himself ordered those monsters onto the train full of children? Severus wondered what would happen to howlers addressed to the Minister of Magic. Probably they were isolated and destroyed, but perhaps if he sent enough? But that would only be small revenge. Not nearly enough.

Severus was assured that such a thing couldn't happen on Hogwarts grounds themselves because the Ministry couldn't give them permission to enter the grounds unless they had actively identified and were trailing Black. And after all, the evil soul sucking creatures were completely under Ministry control with no evidence to the contrary. People who had spent no time around them were more likely to trust them.

What shook him more than anything else was the fear of what might have happened if Dora hadn't been so near. His arguments against them weren't particularly convincing. The things didn't suck the souls out of prisoners that they weren't allowed, so of _course_ they were under Ministry control and nothing 'bad' would happen. But even if they _were_ stopped from doing the worst… even brief exposures could be traumatic, as Harry learned when he _never_ should have had to learn that.

Severus had darted for the back of the train as soon as he knew what was happening. But the lights had gone off, and there were idiot children blocking the way to his son. But Dora _was_ there, never going far from Harry's cabin, just like he had asked. Eventually his heart would stop beating quite so quickly. Eventually.

*****Harry*****

Ron looked like he wanted to say something all through lunch but stayed remarkably quiet. When Harry and Hermione got up to go to Arithmancy, Ron followed them, even though he needed to go outside instead.

"Hey," Ron hissed, "What were you talking about knowing what went on in Divination, Hermione? You didn't _go_. You were in Muggle Studies with me. How could you have been there at the same time?"

"Of course I wasn't in two classes at once, Ron. I just- heard what happened from Lavender, and Professor McGonagall and I have everything worked out now. But _you_ should get outside before you are late for Care of Magical Creatures."

"But you haven't even had time to talk to Professor McGonagall," Ron protested again. Harry didn't want to add any more tension, but he was convinced now too; something was going on with Hermione.

In Arithmancy, Harry was doing his best to listen to their new teacher. "Arithmancy in many ways is the hidden backbone of magic, mathematic application that can be useful in spell and potion creations, particularly wardings and ward breakings, sorting out parts of lineage, and yes, most famously, divining the future." Harry heard a little clapping that he thought came from Lavender Brown.

"But do not get ahead of yourself, because we will get to nothing so advanced for some time, and our progress through this course is strictly dependent on the effort of each and every one of you students, understand? I will attempt not to slow the pace, but a lagging student can hold back the entire class, so it behooves each of you to work hard but also to _assist_ each other when needed. This will be the only class many of you have at least until your NEWT classes with members from every house present, because frankly the course is viewed as difficult and no more than a handful typically enroll. This is the largest class I have had in a few years in fact. With students from different backgrounds, you should know now that I do not tolerate pointless squabbles. If I need to arbitrate an academic or philosophical disagreement, feel free to seek me out. Understood?"

"Yes, Professor Vector," came the staggered agreements after her speech.

Harry looked around the room. From Gryffindor he was the only boy, but there was Hermione, Lavendar, Parvati, and Sally-Ann, a girl Harry barely even knew the name of. From the other houses, Harry knew of Padma from Ravenclaw, Parvati's twin sister who he wouldn't have been able to tell apart except from their different robe emblems for their houses. He also recognized Terry Boot and Anthony Goldstein, but not the other handful of students. Ravenclaw had the largest presence in the class, probably unsurprisingly. There were two boys and two girls from Slytherin, but Harry didn't really know any of them. Harry also didn't know the three Hufflepuff students at all.

How could he have lived in the same castle, taken the same classes for two years, and not known even all of the students in his year? There were only a few dozens of them, and he didn't really even know all of the Gryffindors in his year- not well anyway.

Harry tried to ignore the revelation and concentrate on what Professor Vector was saying. She reminded him a little of Professor McGonagall, and he wanted to start off well.

*****Hermione*****

"Miss Granger, thank you for coming to see me. How was your first day using the time turner?" Professor McGonagall asked.

 _It was terrifying and exhilarating_. "I only used it once, of course, and only for my class. It went well," was what she said instead.

"That is wise, Miss Granger, but it is also understandable if you need to carefully use it a bit more as the year goes on to keep up with the work load."

 _No_ , she could handle it. She almost didn't even need the time turner. "If I keep to the schedule I have planned, in the school year I'll add just about week to my age. I don't want to get reckless with it and add a month or more." She was already one of the oldest in the year. If she had been just a bit older, she could have come to Hogwarts an entire year earlier. Of course, then she might never have become friend with Harry and Ron. But if she were to use this for perhaps five more years… the concept was daunting.

"You are very responsible, Miss Granger, which is why the Headmaster and I felt we could trust you with this privilege. I must say," she hesitated for a moment, "I am very proud of you, Miss Granger. Now, did everything go smoothly? Nothing out of the ordinary?"

 _Proud of her?_ But it might be ruined already. But of course Hermione _wouldn't_ let that happen, not when her Head of House and the Headmaster were counting on her keeping it a secret. "Ron was a bit suspicious after I knew what happened to Neville in Divination, when he knew I was in Muggle Studies with him, but I believe I have put him off of it." Of course she could handle it.

"I… am sorry Miss Granger that I put you in that position. Please let me know if other such issues arise and we will address if Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley would need to be told. Of course, I would need to confer with Professor Dumbledore…"

"I can manage, Professor McGonagall. I promise," Hermione supplied quickly. "I am just grateful that I don't have a class with Harry at the same time as a class with Ron. I'd never have managed if Harry took Divination with me."

"Yes, I will admit that there were some surprises in course selection this year. I dare say Mr. Weasley's father must be proud to see him taking Muggle Studies, and I cannot recall the last time I had so many of my Gryffindors taking Arithmancy. And it's rare to have any Gryffindors turn down Care of Magical Creatures. I did not expect Miss Brown and Miss Patil to choose Arithmancy instead."

That was the perfect opening that she couldn't miss. "Professor McGonagall, is there any way that Ron could be switched to the Care of Magical Creatures class that Harry and I are in? I know it's mostly Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs but…"

"I am sorry miss Granger, but the class is already overfull, and that would be irresponsible when handling potentially dangerous creatures. The Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw section was larger than expected, and the Gryffindor Slytherin section less so. And with Mr. Potter and yourself selecting both Arithmancy and Care of Magical Creatures... I'm sorry, but it was the least disruptive arrangement. I do hope that Mr. Weasley will be quite content with the rest of his peers."

"Of course, Professor."

*****Harry*****

"Do you think you could ask your dad about it?" Ron asked.

"What?" Harry had gotten lost for a minute, trying to read the names already listed on the quidditch sign up.

"About _Hermione_ ," Ron hissed. "I asked Lavender- discretely of course- and Hermione was definitely in Divination _and_ Muggle Studies this morning at the same time. And when I asked her about it, she _lied_. So she's doing something to… I don't know. Be in two places at once? She definitely disappeared for a moment after Muggle Studies before Transfiguration, so maybe she was… collecting her double or something? I don't know, but I think McGonagall must know about it, or she wouldn't have given her such a weird time table."

"Maybe. Probably," Harry agreed. His father had told him that scheduling was hard, but Harry didn't think his Head of House would make such an obvious mistake without a plan for Hermione to take all of her classes.

"And if Professor McGonagall knows, then your dad probably does too. Or at least he'd know what kind of magic could do that."

"I'll… ask him about it," Harry agreed reluctantly. "Are you going to try out for the reserve team?" Harry asked, looking for a distraction.

"Nah," Ron said, looking at his feet. "Maybe if they start looking for a keeper. I've always liked keeping best. The sheet mentioned they might look for a keeper next term, yeah? And then I'd be settled in my classes and all. I do _work_ at those, you know. I'm not as smart as you and Hermione," Ron teased.

Harry was startled for a moment, being lumped in with Hermione for being smart. Had anyone ever thought Harry was smart? Maybe his dad did sometimes when he picked up on a spell quickly, but dads were biased. And spells were different than book stuff anyway. Harry wasn't _nearly_ as smart as Hermione, and Hermione still worked really hard on her studies. Though she could probably make the same marks working _less_ hard. And Ron had been making good marks too, especially in their second year, about as good as Harry's really.

"How was Care of Magical Creatures?" Harry asked. It was the class he was most excited about taking, and _maybe_ he wanted to change the topic again.

"Good," Ron said. "Really good, actually. Hagrid knows about some really cool stuff. I heard Kettleburn was too scared after losing his hand to do show a class anything interesting. Though, I'd probably worry about the things we'd see if Hagrid wasn't bigger than all of them," Ron grinned, "But I don't want to spoil what you're doing tomorrow. Do wish Hermione could've gotten us in the same class though," Ron mentioned.

Harry _was_ really excited for Hagrid' class the next day. If he could just ignore the dementors and everything going on outside the school, third year could be his best year yet. At least the danger seemed to be _outside_ the castle instead of _inside_ it like the last two years. And there probably wasn't anything really weird going on with his friend, just some unusual magic that Hermione got Professor McGonagall's permission to use, so it really wasn't anything he and Ron needed to worry about. But Harry would ask his father just in case.

 **A/N: So, I have thought a lot about the butterfly effect. Justin was never scared by the snake in Dueling club, and he was never petrified. I imagine several young Hufflepuffs were scared away from taking Care of Magical Creatures who now wouldn't be. Perhaps with a slightly more amicable Hermione, and one less offensive professor in Snape, Lavender Brown might take up a more academic interest in Arithmancy. After all, it has some future divining applications, just like Divination.**

 **Fun fact, Tracy Davis is never mentioned in canon, just from JKR notes, and so as far as I'm concerned, her blood status is unknown. I like the idea of some muggleborns Slytherins thrown into a strange world but using their cunning skills to hide their blood status from even their classmates. Of course they find their best friends that they can confide in, slowly changing the minds of some young students.**

 **And sorry that the author's notes got a little out of control on this chapter. Let me know if the recap was helpful.**

 ***Rowling, J. K.** **Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. London: Bloomsbury, 1999. Print.**


	42. Chapter 42 Fears Too Real

Chapter 42- Fears too Real

*****Harry****

When both Harry and Ron lost track of Hermione when they were going from Charms to Defense Against the Dark Arts, Ron gave Harry an insistent look. "I'll talk to him tonight, I know," Harry promised. When Hermione rejoined them a few moments later, breathless like she had been running, Harry was certain that she hadn't just been off to the loo.

Still, Harry tried to put aside thoughts of what Ron had said about Hermione's impossible schedule and lying about it, because he really wanted to focus on the new defense teacher in front of him.

Professor Lupin walked in a bit late, and Harry studied him for a moment. He looked better than he had when he had officially been introduced to the castle the night before, though Harry's first class was still only two days after the full moon. When the man announced that it would be a practical lesson and they'd only need their wands, not their books, the whole class warmed up to him easily. The third years hadn't had much in the way of practical Defense lessons before, unless you counted the pixie incident with Lockheart, which Harry definitely didn't count because there hadn't been any _teaching_ going on.

They didn't even stay in the Defense classroom at all as Lupin led them down a few hallways. When he sent Peeves away with a clever trick, Harry and the students couldn't help but be even more impressed.

Harry recognized the teachers' lounge as they approached. Professor Lupin didn't hesitate in ushering them all inside.

Were they _allowed_ to go in? Harry never had before, even when he was looking for his father. Speaking of his father, Harry's dad was sitting in the teachers' lounge alone before Professor Lupin and the class of third years entered.

"Severus," their Defense professor said in greeting.

Harry's father looked up, nodded once at Lupin, and caught Harry's eye for a moment before returning to his readings. Harry wondered if his father knew that the class would be brought in here at this time and came to watch on purpose, even if he was pretending otherwise.

"Yes, well, I hope we won't be bothering you too much, Severus?"

"I'll manage," was the simple reply.

"Yes, well. Neville, would you help me first today?" Lupin asked.

"Are you- sure you want _me_ to help?" Neville asked back.

"Yes, I think you'll do nicely."

A sudden noise had everyone turning to face the large wardrobe in the room, and about half the class jumped. Someone yelled. Harry was glad that _he_ had done neither.

"Nothing to worry about," Professor Lupin was saying. "Just the subject of our first lesson. I was lucky to track down a boggart as early in the term as this."

Harry thought he was justified to be _more_ worried about whatever a boggart was, after hearing that they'd be interacting with it personally. It was also exciting though, and Harry tried to listed about how boggarts liked dark, enclosed spaces. But why did they have to learn to defend against them if boggarts just wanted to be left alone? It seemed nicer to just leave it there. Of course, the teachers might want their wardrobe back, so Harry could see the problem, but did they really even need a wardrobe in the teachers' lounge?

"So, _what_ is a boggart?" Lupin asked. Harry had even read the first several chapters of his defense text, and he hadn't heard of the creature. But apparently Hermione had. "Yes, Hermione," the professor called on her. Harry was impressed that the man already knew so many of their names.

"It's a shape-shifter," Hermione explained. "It will attempt to protect itself by changing into whatever it thinks will scare us most."

"Very good! Alone inside the wardrobe, no one knows what the boggart might look like. But, when I let him out, he will attempt to become whatever scares each of us most. Do you see the problem it will have there, Harry?"

What? Oh, Harry considered for a moment, "We aren't all afraid of the same things," Harry reasoned. "So with so many of us, it won't know what it should pick?" Harry settled on.

"Very good, Harry," and then he went on to explain how he had once seen a boggart get confused and turn into half a slug instead of half a body or giant slug or something like that, but Harry was still pondering the creature's ability. Harry didn't like the sort of magic that could find a person's worst fear. And now the whole class was going to learn everyone else's deepest fears? That sounded like a questionable lesson plan.

The professor was telling them to focus on making the thing they feared most being funny, and saying 'Riddikulus," which Harry practiced with the rest of the class. So they were to turn what scared them into something they could laugh at? It sounded like therapy or something.

"Neville? What would you say frightens you most in the world?" the professor asked him. It seemed like far too personal of a question, but Harry supposed everyone was about to see it anyway. Harry was still guiltily glad that he hadn't been singled out. Lockheart had always picked Harry.

"I don't know," Neville said hesitantly. "I'm afraid of a lot of things to be honest." There was an uncomfortable giggle around the room, but Harry thought it was just nerves. What _was_ Harry most afraid of? Voldemort came to his mind first, the misshapen back of Quirrell's head, knowing that the man or whatever he _was_ was still out there. But it didn't actually grip him with fear like… the dementor. _That_ was what he feared most, the paralyzing, powerless feeling from a dementor.

"Would you like to step back and let someone else go first then?" Professor Lupin offered kindly.

"No!" the normally shy boy said at once. "I mean- I can do it. I think."

"Alright, then at the count of three," Lupin warned before he started counting.

When their professor opened the wardrobe door with his wand, Harry tried to see what was inside before it changed, but all he could see was Neville's grandmother stepping out of the wardrobe. He was scared of his grandmother?

"Never had his father's talent," the old woman was saying. The thing was saying, he meant.

"Riddikulus," Neville said, more forcefully than Harry had expected.

A crack, and the thing was still Neville's grandmother, but it looked dead, "NO!" Neville shrieked. "Riddikulus!" This time, instead of the dead old woman, a middle aged, very sick looking woman lay in the same place, very still. Maybe she was dead too.

Professor Lupin was stepping forward to interrupt.

"Ri-riddikulus," Neville tried more feebly. This time a large stuffed bear appeared on the floor. "Ha," Neville attempted a laugh, his face red and uncomfortable. He sat back down without being told.

"Parvati?" Professor Lupin called, and the girl walked forward uncertainly, glancing at Neville.

A mummy appeared, and it unraveled into nothing when Parvati cursed it. Her laugh didn't seem sincere either, and she sat down next to Neville.

"Seamus," the professor called next. It became a banshee that shrieked horribly until Seamus made it lose its voice. Harry lost track of the students next. The thing was a rat, a snake, some severed body parts. Nothing was really funny to Harry until Ron stepped forward, and it turned into a giant spider, which Ron took its legs away and it rolled right to Harry. _His_ turn then.

"Harry, why don't I-" Lupin was starting to say, stepping forward but looking at Harry's dad.

And then a dementor floated in front of Harry, just about a meter away. It felt cold, and Harry waited for the screaming to start.

 _It's not real. It's not real._ "Riddikulus," Harry managed. The dementor was just starting to lower its hood, and Harry thought he glimpsed some rotten looking grey flesh under it, just like the thing's hands, but then it changed altogether. Tonks's morphed face was staring back at him, grinning and sticking her tongue out at the same time.

Harry stepped back, looking at his father, who was slowly sitting down again, wand lowering. _Harry_ had been able to handle it first this time. The effect of the dementor was fading with the pride Harry felt in his work. His father's smile helped too.

"Good, good," Lupin was saying, stepping in front of the thing now.

Harry watched at the Tonks-dementor disappeared and was replaced by a small moon hanging in the air. The other students looked around for a moment, but Harry had already guessed what he would see. "Riddikulus," their professor said, and with his spell pushed back the boggart into the wardrobe and shut it with another spell. He looked tired now. "I may just use that for my next class. Thank you all. Let's see, five points to each of you who battled the boggart, and five points to Hermione and Harry for answering my questions." And then he was giving out the homework of reading and writing about the chapter on boggarts, which must have been in the part that Harry hadn't gotten to yet.

Harry looked up to see his father watching him again, but Harry smiled and waved in what he hoped was a reassuring way. He was fine really. It wasn't as bad as it was on the train, probably because he'd actually been able to _do_ something about this one.

"I expect that you would be as free with house points to houses that weren't your Gryffindors?" Harry heard his father asking as the door closed behind him.

*****Harry*****

Harry and Hermione joined the group of Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws waiting outside of Hagrid's hut just as Hagrid was waving them to follow him around the tree line. Harry and Hermione hurried along to catch up.

"'Lo Harry, Hermione. Glad you made it. Bit of exciting class for today, I hope," Hagrid greeted.

Hagrid led them to a paddock, but since Harry was pretty sure the thestrals didn't live over there, he wasn't sure what to expect.

"Now, I heard some people were having troubles wi' their books, but you can jus' stroke down their spines, and they'll fall right open. You wanna' watch 'em when you shut 'em again, but they won't bite you while yer readin' them. I don' expect you to have read the chapter yet' so we'll jus' get goin'."

Harry looked around to see how this was received as Hagrid went off into the paddock. He noticed that all of the Ravenclaws had the same clasps around the books and just nodded, while the Hufflepuffs were like he and Hermione, wrapped in whatever they had around, Harry with a belt and Hermione' with Spellotape.

Harry was distracted by the strangest creatures that he had ever seen in person trotting towards them. The beasts had the front halves of what he thought looked like eagles, and the back half of horses. Hippogriff, the name came to him. He'd looked through all of the pictures in the textbook, and there had been a good one of hippogriffs near the back of the book. Hagrid evidently wanted to start the term with something special. Harry noticed that Hagrid held them all on long leather and chain ropes, until he attached them along the fence line. Harry didn't think often about how strong Hagrid had to be to handle all of these creatures.

Hagrid looked around excitedly, "Well, come on, up to the fence an' see 'em," Hagrid instructed. Harry reluctantly stepped forward first, looking at Hermione as she did the same. The rest of the class gathered in circles around him. Hagrid started talking about how most of all you weren't supposed to offend the hippogriffs, and to approach them you have to bow and wait for them to bow back. It seemed pretty sensible to Harry.

"Right, who's ready ter go?"

Most of the class edged backwards slightly. "Nothin' to be scared of. I've had four other classes 'fore you and all wen' fine."

"I'll try," Harry found himself saying, and it was worth it when Hagrid looked so proud.

Hagrid set it all up so that Harry was facing just one of the Hippogriffs, Buckbeak, the creature was named.

How had he ended up standing in front of a hippogriff? But Hagrid was smiling so encouragingly, "Aw, you can do it, Harry. Your friend rode Buckbeak jus' yesterday, no trouble a' all."

Harry bowed slowly before the beast, but stared it down, attempting as much confidence as the creature had itself. That seemed better than cowering. Buckbeak seemed to agree, because a few seconds later, the hippogriff bowed its own head, still looking at Harry with those large, orange eyes.

"Good job, lad!" Harry heard Hagrid say. "Think he'd let you ride 'em now, Harry." With that past, Harry really did want to ride Buckbeak. If Ron had done it, then Harry could too.

Harry awkwardly clambered on as Hagrid instructed. He was now certain that people usually rode horses with saddles and straps for a reason, and they didn't even expect those horses to _fly_. Harry threw his arms around Buckbeak's neck just as the hippogriff took to the skies.

Actually being up there was amazing. Harry hadn't flown over this part of the grounds on his broom, staying mostly around the quidditch pitch before, because he got the impression he was supposed to. But now he really wanted to ask his dad about it. Looking down at the forest and the lake from above was definitely cool.

The lurching up and down with Buckbeak's wing he could have done without, and he certainly didn't want to pull out feathers, so he gripped his own wrists tightly and hoped that would be enough. He was confident that he wouldn't slip off the back, but if the beast decided to dive too steeply, Harry felt that he might just slip over the creature's thick neck.

Harry gripped with his knees as best as he could as Buckbeak started going down for landing. Harry was proud that he didn't fall off but with two horse legs and two eagle legs, the landing was not at all smooth. The creature trotted over to Hagrid, something that was much more uncomfortable than the flight had been, before stopping, which Harry took as him being allowed to slip down.

After Harry did it alright, a couple of other students took turns. Hermione wasn't one of them. Hagrid only let them go up one at a time, but no one else rode Buckbeak, so Harry just stood awkwardly by the beast who seemed to have now accepted Harry enough to be routing around in his pockets and the beast found a few food scraps that Harry had been intending to bring to Hedwig. Overall, it was an exceptional lesson. Harry hadn't really known what to expect from Hagrid's teaching abilities, but it really had gone well. Probably having the class after Hagrid had taught it a couple times helped, but still, Harry was impressed.

"Hey, where did you all get those bindings for your books?" Harry asked Terry Boot as they walked back towards the castle.

"Someone asked Professor Flitwick about the books, and he owled the publisher, and they recommended these, so he told us to get them and how the books worked," Terry shrugged.

Harry fell back a step from the group of Ravenclaws. That did sound like a good idea. Harry couldn't believe that Flourish and Blotts didn't have them bound up. Did the books fix themselves, or did some people buy copies that were missing pages from when the books fought?

"Wasn't riding one cool?" Harry turned to see Justin Finch-Fletchley looking at him eagerly. Harry hadn't really noticed, but Justin must have been one of the students who had given flying a go.

"Yeah! I mean, to be honest I still prefer a broom that I can control, but… yeah."

Justin went on. "Crazy really that we had to get a permission slip signed to go to Hogsmeade but not to do all sorts of dangerous stuff at school. Wouldn't tell _my_ mum though. One of the advantages of being muggle-born is that she doesn't have to know everything. I guess you've got the opposite really. Was a bit of a shock for her when we picked up my books this year though. Wish I could have avoided that. Told her I knew spells to handle it and just wasn't allowed to do them at home, but I really hadn't a clue."

"Yeah," Harry smiled back at the other boy. Harry liked having his dad around though, even if he couldn't have hidden anything from him.

*****Severus*****

"Are you alright Harry?" Severus asked as soon as Harry stepped through the door. "You did very well in your defense class, but it is understandable to be affected by such a thing." Severus had spent the last hours dwelling on what he had seen in that class. He was exceedingly proud of Harry, handing the boggart so well. He felt uncomfortably piteous for Neville Longbottom. Or perhaps just sympathetic. Severus wouldn't admit the amount of time he had spent contemplating if there was anything he could do for the boy. Severus Snape did not concern himself with the personal lives of teenage Gryffindors. Except for Harry's. And by extension at least half of the Weasley family and sometimes Miss Granger.

Harry smiled. The boy looked alright, "Yeah, I'm fine. It was great, really. I'm not here about that."

"Oh?" What _else_ could be wrong? Worry about Black? Did he want to drop Arithmancy already? Severus wouldn't stop him from dropping the class and switching to another, even if it was… _Divination_.

"So… Ron and I noticed yesterday that Hermione was in two classes at once, and her schedule says she's supposed to do that several times a week, but she denies it and says it's impossible, and we're worried about her," Harry spilled out nervously.

That was not what he had expected, "Minerva hadn't mentioned that she had another one this year, but I'm not surprised the girl would try it. I _am_ surprised she hasn't told the two of you. I will speak to Minerva about it. It was inevitable that the two of you would realize that something was strange, and with that knowledge you can distract others that might suspect it as well."

"So… what is she doing?"

Severus suppressed a sigh. It really was best that Harry know after all, "She's using a time turner, a device to take the user back in time a number of hours. It is at times permitted for… _overreaching_ students when Minerva cannot coordinate a schedule to allow the student to take four or all five of the electives. Am I right in assuming that Miss Granger is attempting to take them all?"

"Yeah," Harry admitted with a little shrug.

"I highly discourage attempting even four electives. In my tenure as Head of Slytherin, none of my students have asked to enroll in all five, but very I have had a few request to take all of them except for Muggle Studies," Severus explained. "In the instances when the schedule would not permit it, I convinced the students to drop one of their electives, never mentioning a time turner as a possibility. It's simply too much for a thirteen-year-old to be trusted with, even though Miss Granger is a very responsible child."

"But other students have done it before?" Harry asked.

"I do not concern myself with the choices other Heads of Houses make in leading their houses, but it has been done before, yes, and with students less trustworthy than Miss Granger, I am sure. And during my time here, there has not been a major incident requiring Ministry involvement. However, she will be under an inordinate amount of pressure to maintain this class load. I believe she would be relieved to not have to do so while lying to her closest friends."

"Thanks then. She… won't be mad that I know?"

Surely the girl wouldn't be angered, "I shall take any blame for that, from Miss Granger or Professor McGonagall."

"Thanks," Harry smiled.

Just what he needed, another thing to worry about. He wasn't cut out for this. And now he was attempting to parent a teenager. What if Harry decided next that he wanted to invite a girl to Hogsmeade? What if Harry invited Granger? Or if Weasley asked Granger, how would that change their dynamic? And why on earth was he spending energy dwelling on it? He needed a drink. Or perhaps Dora would be by this evening.

*****Harry*****

"You talked to your dad?" Ron asked him as soon as Harry was through the portrait hole. Hermione wasn't in sight.

"Yeah."

"And?"

The boys moved off to one side, and Harry was comfortable that no one would hear if they were quiet. "She's using a time turner- er, a thing to let her go back in time to take multiple classes at once," Harry explained briefly. It still sounded insane when he was saying in, more unbelievable than any other magic he had heard of before.

"She can go back in time, and she's just using it for _classes_?" Ron asked. Harry's thoughts had been similar.

"Yeah, I guess."

"She could use it for betting on quidditch! Could make a lot of money that way," Ron suggested eagerly.

"Hermione wouldn't do that."

"Yeah," Ron admitted. "Which is probably why she has one and I don't… not that I would… but ah well. Let's go tell her," Ron said, pointing towards their other friend that Harry just noticed, already hunched over a giant book on their second day of classes. There wasn't anyone around her, but most people let Hermione alone when she was studying.

"So, how was Ancient Runes? Bill talks about them a lot," Ron asked, startling Hermione into dropping her book and losing her place. Hermione frowned for a moment, retrieving the large tomb.

"It is going very well. I would love to speak with your brother about it, actually. We are learning symbols not, essentially entire new alphabets, with so many levels of meaning."

"And it's nice to get to know more people from other classes, I'd bet," Ron prodded, and Harry had a good idea of where he was going. "Like with muggle studies, I talked to a couple Hufflepuffs that I didn't know at all before."

"That is nice, yes. It's good for inter-house unity."

"Yeah, and you must be the only Gryffindor in Runes, because we're all in Charms, and the rest of us don't have time turners," Ron said with a grin.

Hermione gave the most alarmed look, "What? I… don't know what you're talking about," she clearly lied.

"You can trust us, you know, Hermione," Ron said, sounding a little hurt.

"We were worried about you, so I asked my dad, and he figured it out," Harry said in an undertone.

"I'm sorry! I wasn't supposed to tell you," Hermione whispered back miserably. Harry was afraid for a moment that she might cry.

"It's fine. And we can help you cover it now, right?"

"Yeah," Ron agreed easily.

"Thank you both," Hermione muttered, gripping tightly on the large book that Harry now saw was Ancient Runes. "It- wasn't too hard to figure out, I guess."

"Oi! Give us some credit!" Ron declared indignantly.

"Of course," Hermione said, grinning again. Harry felt comfortable again. It was good not to have secrets between friends.

*****Severus*****

Severus couldn't believe that he was actually intending to go through with this little plan of his. But Alice Fawley had never hurt a person in the world, and to see her so feeble and ill, unrecognizable if Severus hadn't known who the woman must be…

"Longbottom, stay after class," Severus instructed as the boy turned in a decent enough drought. The boy was startled but nodded and returned to his seat.

Harry and his closest friends looked curious, but Severus waved Harry along and they followed.

Severus took a moment to study the boy in front of him. The boy wasn't as much the chubby little pathetic child Severus had first encountered and hated for no reason the boy could control.

Severus retrieved the pensieve from his bottom drawer.

"I will send you with an excuse for whatever you might miss," Severus told the boy.

"What kind of potion is that?" the child asked a bit hesitantly, peering into the mostly empty pensieve. It was an easy confusion to make.

"They are memories. Memories of my own that I thought you might find interesting. Simply touch the surface," Severus instructed as if he were doing nothing strange. It was a dangerous balance, not to wish the boy to live in the past as Severus had spent so much of his life doing.

Severus waited for the boy's mind to return. He couldn't think of many good examples, because he had barely known the pair. Frank Longbottom, a Gryffindor in the year above him, and Alice Fawley, a Hufflepuff in his year. He had selected a memory of their sorting, but could think of little else. Hufflepuffs and Slytherins did not have any classes together until electives, after which Severus did recall being in the same NEWT Care of Magical Creatures and found one he hadn't remembered of Neville's mother interacting with, brushing the mane of a unicorn. The beast hadn't let any of the rest of the class get so close, not that Severus would have wished to.

Most memorably, Severus included the boy's father's proposal in front of all of the Great Hall. It was on the witch's seventeenth birthday and appeared to be a birthday surprise until he brought out the ring. It was Gryffindor and brash and not at all like the two old and respected pureblood families that they came from. And the school talked of little else for a week. Or a month. Severus had been both disgusted and as jealous as Juno.

"Thank you, Professor," the boy whispered, wiping his eyes.

"I have heard that you use your father's wand?" Severus asked. He didn't need to say that he just noticed that the wand looked older, and in going through his own memories saw the same wand held by his father. It likely belonged to a different relative before then as well.

"Yes, sir."

"I intend to write to your grandmother and suggest that allowing a wand to choose _you_ would be more likely to be beneficial to your future wand work," Severus said, thinking of the boy's difficulty in handling the boggart. "Is that alright?"

Eyes wide, the boy nodded vigorously, "Yes, sir."

"Then I suggest you leave," Severus said, as the boy did just that, though looking back at Severus as he left. Severus sat wondering if all of the Weasleys had their own wands or hand downs. It was an old wizarding practice, but not beneficial to the child. Severus discouraged it amongst his Slytherins, though sometimes a family wand was a good fit worth consideration. Severus disliked the idea of speaking to Weasleys about finances. How many Gryffindors did he have to look after?

*****Harry*****

On the first Saturday morning of the term, Harry was pretty sure that they didn't have to have the pitch booked for _that_ early in the morning for it to be free. Oliver said it was because he wanted them to have privacy from the other houses, but Harry thought it was also to get rid of prospects who weren't willing to wake up early enough.

The first group was already up in the air, and Harry followed Ginny's progress as she flew with the rest, holding her own well even though she was just on a school broom. Harry had offered to let her try out on his spare Nimbus, but she had just shaken her head and ran off with the others. Still, she'd make it past the flying test and into the real drills for sure.

Harry looked around at the people there for the tryout that were still on the ground. Even though they were all in his house, Harry didn't know most of them. Dean was up in the same group as Ginny, but most of the others seemed older than Harry. The twins' friend, Lee Jordan, was standing by the twins, but looking more serious than Harry had seen him before.

Turning around, Harry saw another boy that he recognized standing closer than Harry would have expected. "I- didn't know you liked to fly, Colin," Harry commented uncomfortably, taking a small step back.

"Do you really use your metamorphmagus powers to hide from me?" the smaller boy asked.

Harry's heart must have sunk into his stomach, because neither felt good, "I- I'm sorry, Colin. I just- don't like to be photographed. It's nothing about you…" Harry didn't even think about how he still changed his features when he thought he'd run into the boy. When he actually thought about it, Harry wasn't sure if he'd even _seen_ Colin with his camera this term.

"It's fine. It made me think a lot. And consider other hobbies, ones that didn't depend on other people. I still like pictures, and take them of my friends sometimes- but- if I hadn't learned to put the camera down more, I probably still wouldn't _have_ friends, like I didn't have any at first. You weren't the only one who avoided me, just the only one who could change his face to do it. So- yeah. But just so you know, you don't have to anymore. I'd leave you alone."

"I'm- really sorry, Colin." Harry felt like one of the mean kids from his primary school. He knew what it was like not to fit in, and he had never tried to be friends with the muggle-born boy.

"It's okay, really. Like I said, I started doing other things. I got really into flying class, and asked permission to come for some extra hours. And over the summer I even got my own broom so I wouldn't have to borrow a school one this year. Dad was so proud that I was doing wizard things that he managed to get me one. And I fly with Ginny sometimes. We starting doing that last term, after we got approval from Madame Hooch. She's really brilliant at it. I'm sure she'll make the reserves."

"She is. And I'm sure you are too Colin. Good luck," Harry offered uncomfortably. He had been so quick to judge this boy for over a year, and Colin might soon be his teammate.

"Thanks, Harry!" Colin said, before walking off to talk to Ginny who had just landed. Harry felt bad again that he had barely even watched her, but Colin had been, even as he talked to Harry.

Paying close attention to Colin's flight next, Harry saw that he really wasn't bad. He was the second best in his tryout group, after Lee Jordan, but there weren't many who were open to being a seeker, so maybe the boy would sneak on the team.

"Alright, thank you everyone for coming, and I thank all of you for your effort. We will be reaching out to you in the next few days if you have made the reserve team, and the team list will be posted. And now, I have a lot to discuss with my team."

"Initial thoughts?" Oliver asked when the potential reserves had all cleared off.

"Ginny Weasley was much better than I thought. I hate to say it, but she'd need a better broom for practice," Alicia said, not looking at the Weasley twins.

"We'd manage something," Oliver said, glancing at Harry. "Other thoughts?" he asked the group.

"I think McLaggen was the best flyer, on an excellent broom, large enough for a real physical presence, and yet I _cringe_ whenever he opens his mouth. So the good with the bad there. If only I were a beater, I'd love to lob a good bludger at his face." Angelina remarked.

"We'll do the job for you," George volunteered.

"Lee did well. I think he deserves consideration," Fred said on their friend's behalf.

"No one knows more about quidditch and he's not so… what word am I looking for, Fred?"

" _McLaggen_."

"Oh yes, that's the one."

"Yes, yes, you've made your point," Oliver regained control of the exchange, though Harry knew he wasn't upset. "And I agree that Lee would be a good choice. He wants to into a career of magical games and sports, doesn't he? To keep up the commentating?"

"Yeah, and he'll be brilliant at it," George supplied.

"Then he'll work hard and have a lot to gain from the experience, even if he's on the older end of the potentials. And the rest of the lot?"

"There weren't many interested in seeker," Harry mentioned.

"It's expected. Reserves are usually younger players who hope to have a spot when someone graduates- or they can try to prove themselves and beat out the starting player. We'd normally hope to look for fifth years at the oldest. But Harry, you've been the best seeker in the school practically your whole time here, and you're still only a _third_ year. So anyone older than second year isn't going to be very interested, and first years aren't usually allowed on the team, and they usually wouldn't be good enough anyway- again, yourself excepted."

"I say we put little Weasley there and see what she's got. I know she'd rather be chaser, but we've got enough interest there, and I think she could be a good seeker." Alicia spoke up.

"And Thomas as the third chaser?" Oliver asked, "He wasn't bad, but little Weasley looked better."

"Yeah, but he'd be a terrible seeker, and we want someone to try to give Harry competition don't we? The second best with any interest in seeker was Creevey, and he did alright, but not on the same level as Ginny. If she'd want to play professionally one day, being a flexible reserve is a good way to start," Angelina commented.

"You really think she could be?" Harry asked without thinking.

"I think she'd a talented second year with a lot of determination. If no one's told you the same, we've missed good opportunities," Angelina said bluntly.

"You'd have a good chance at it if you wanted it," Oliver agreed. "I think any of you would, but I'd be lying if I didn't think you had the best shot. Just don't let it go to your head. Though being the youngest seeker in several generations somehow didn't."

Harry was silent as he contemplated, but Oliver spoke again, "Thank you everyone. I'll send you an official list tomorrow, and then start reaching out to the prospects, but I think we have our reserve team."

Harry found Ron in the common room when he got back. He felt like he was ready to sleep again, but it wasn't even time for lunch.

"Hermione?" Harry asked, not seeing their other closest friend.

"Off studying for one of her twelve classes, I'm sure," Ron said absently. "Still worried about her, you know?"

"Yeah, me too," Harry agreed. "Hey, you never really talked about Creature class. You rode Buckbeak, right? How weird did that feel? Nothing like a broom, eh?"

Ron looked confused, "I didn't ride one. Dra- Malfoy did. I'll do it next time thought for sure. We just- didn't have time for everyone to go, and he volunteered first."

"Yeah," Harry said, thinking. Hagrid had just said that Harry's friend had ridden Buckbeak, and Harry had automatically thought of Ron. But when he thought of it, the way Draco was fascinated with thestrals and everything else that Hagrid raised, riding a hippogriff made perfect sense. Harry wished that he was in that class with both of them, but he thought that his class would turn out pretty fun as well.

 **A/N: Let me know what you think. The scene came to me and I couldn't let it go. What things Neville might fear and how that might affect Severus. Speaking of scenes that gripped me, I just posted a Buffy one-shot, just to let you know in case there are any BtVS fans out there.**


	43. Chapter 43 The Shack

Chapter 43- The Shack

*****Harry*****

Harry entered the common room after a particularly good practice a few weeks into term. Ginny had gotten used to the more powerful Nimbus 2000 and was doing very well. It had actually been Ron who had convinced her to use it, since the broom was Harry's and her job was essentially to make Harry better, so it seemed like the best use of the broom. She even caught the snitch before Harry twice now in their hours of practice.

And the Weasley twins hadn't allowed any team injuries when handling a third bludger and were now trying to convince Oliver to let them add a fourth. The only wasted bit of practice was Cormac McLaggen petitioning to be made head of the reserve team, even though Oliver insisted that that wasn't needed because it wasn't even a full team, and they wouldn't function as a separate unit. Harry just did his best to avoid McLaggen, and that worked well. McLaggen really only seemed interested in talking to Oliver and sometimes the chasers anyway.

"So, how's Muggle Studies?" Harry asked, seeing Ron reading at a table. Ron reading on a _Saturday_? Harry enjoyed still having Hermione with him in every class, and he was liking Arithmancy well enough, but he did miss having as many things in common with his other best friend. With Harry's quidditch and them having two different classes… sometimes it seemed like a lot of time away from Ron. And they hadn't had as much time to just go out flying for fun.

"It's great. We got assigned to read a muggle book written for kids our age, and we even got to choose from some options," he said, shaking the paper book. "A lot of it's really fun- games and things. I think Professor Babbage really just wants us to understand that muggle kids aren't really different than we are. And we're going to leave Hogwarts for a trip to see muggle gadgets because e-lec-tri-city," Ron said the word carefully, "doesn't work here. Have you heard of a _Game Boy_? They sound awesome, but Hermione didn't really know much about them."

"Yeah, Dudley had one. It did seem kind of cool," Harry admitted. "Um… things move like a picture, but you control it and can do a lot of things," he gave a vague explanation because he had never actually played one himself. But Dudley didn't have a flying broomstick, and Harry didn't really even think about the Dursleys anymore.

"Yeah, I know Hermione's more interested in us getting to history stuff, and I know that'd be good to know too, but it's just been really fun so far."

"That's great. And Care of Magical Creatures? Who'd you get paired with for the salamanders?" That was their latest project in Care of Magical Creatures, raising some salamanders. Not as dangerous or thrilling as Hippogriffs, but they were pretty cool, really. And their tails were used in all sorts of potions, though Harry really hoped they wouldn't have to cut them off of _their_ salamanders, even if they would grow them back. Harry was pretty sure Hagrid wouldn't make them do that though.

"Malfoy," Ron muttered. Harry almost didn't catch the name.

"Oh. How's that going?" Hermione was Harry's partner, and he almost wished he was with someone he didn't know as well. But Hermione was great at it, of course.

"Not bad so far," Ron admitted with a shrug. "Ours haven't gotten scale rot like some of the others. Did you know the number six in some rune alphabet is a salamander because they can live six hours outside of fire?"

"No. So Draco's taking Ancient Runes then?" Harry felt bad that he didn't already know that about his friend, but they didn't really socialize much in the school year, and Harry hadn't wanted to talk about classes during the summer. But it seemed like Draco and Ron had done more talking than Harry would have expected.

"Yeah. And he asked Hagrid about getting some frost salamanders all the time to see if they'd breed." The pairing of Ron and Draco made since when Harry thought about it, because Hagrid liked them both and knew they were Harry's friends. Hagrid probably didn't even know that they didn't all hang out together.

"That's good… Everything else going well?" Harry asked, feeling like they hadn't really talked much lately.

"Scabbers isn't doing too great. Do you think your dad might know anything to help? I think that rat tonic I got in Diagon Alley is rubbish. Thought I might take him to see Hagrid. Or maybe even Professor Lupin. It feels like we're taking two creatures classes instead of one sometimes, doesn't it?"

They had mostly talked about magical creatures in defense class. And Harry wasn't actually sure that most of them were more dangerous than the sorts of beasts that Hagrid kept around. Of course Harry knew that Hagrid had owned a giant three-headed dog and a baby dragon, so salamanders and even hippogriffs were tame according to Hagrid. Both of the classes were among Harry's favorites. Lupin was maybe a better teacher sometimes, but Hagrid's classes were really interesting.

"I can ask my dad. I bet Hagrid would know though," Harry offered, though he wasn't sure either would. It seemed like Scabbers was pretty old.

"I've been keeping him on me more, not wanting him too far away," Ron said, patting his chest pocket, which Harry just noticed did have a lump in it, though not as big as Scabbers had been before.

Harry was just about to ask if the rat had lost weight when the large ginger cat that was Hermione's Crookshanks bolted between them, right for Ron's pocket.

Ron hit the cat away with a movement that Harry could have sworn he'd seen Oliver use in quidditch practice. The cat wasn't happy about it.

"Hermione!" Ron yelled, "Keep your beast away from Scabbers! That cat has it out for him." Ron stood up quickly hand over his now moving pocket. Harry wasn't sure that Hermione was even in the common room, and almost said so, but Ron was already running for the stairs to the boy's dormitories.

*****Severus*****

"So, Harry's first Hogsmead weekend's coming up. I tried to pick up an extra shift patrolling there, but it was a rater popular request. I don't think anyone's actually too worried about an attack, and everyone wants a chance to reminisce," Dora comment, leaning against his side.

"I will be chaperoning," Severus said quietly. He would be voluntarily attending a Hogsmeade weekend with a few hundred adolescents. He hadn't officially put his name down, of course, though perhaps only to avoid Minerva's grinning face. He had done his best to avoid Hogsmeade duty for more than a decade.

"Didn't want to let Harry too far out of your sight, eh? It _might_ have occurred to me too. I'll just have to come and keep you company off duty, huh?"

"That would be nice," Severus acknowledged with a smile. She was infectious.

"Well, I haven't had a date for a Hogsmead weekend in years, and none that I'd like to remember. What shall we do during your chaperoning duties? I'd like to see you in Madame Puddifoot's. I can spare you a trip to Zonko's but it will be a real sacrifice. And maybe we'll just have to follow Harry in there. Spintwitches is always worth a browse, and I do expect you to buy me a butterbeer from the Three Broomsticks, and something from Honeydukes. Non-negotiable. And I don't think that makes me high maintenance. And ooh, if we want to be really daring, we can break into the Shrieking Shack. Perfect thematically with Halloween. Though I already did that on a dare in my seventh year. There isn't really anything to see."

"No," Severus found himself protesting.

"No to what? All of it? I wouldn't _really_ drag you into Madame Puddifoot's, you know," undaunted.

Severus didn't particularly want to respond. He shouldn't have said anything. She hadn't actually been serious about any of it.

"The Shack?" she guessed next. "Is there something actually wrong with it? Because I've met a lot of ghosts, and none of them have caused any harm- unless you count Peeves, and I kind of like him. And I didn't see any ghosts anyway."

"In my day, each full moon, it housed a werewolf."

"Oh," she said, humor gone.

"It- is not a place I care for," or something he wanted to talk about.

"I've seen you on a full moon before... probably," Dora said slowly.

"What?" _What?_

"Just… if this were you telling me that you were a werewolf, for the record, I wouldn't freak out, Severus. _Surprised_ , but not freaking out."

That was… unexpected. "I'm not," Severus said quickly. "Remus Lupin is. I had an- unfortunate close encounter during my sixth year. I was told it was intended as a prank, but I believe attempted murder to be more accurate."

Dora nodded gravely, "And he's back at the school now. That must be- very difficult for you. Are you okay? I'm surprised Dumbledore would hire him after that. But- if it was during the full moon he wouldn't really have _intended_ to..." she faltered.

"Lupin had no knowledge of the arrangement, though that doesn't mean that I don't have years' worth of reasons to dislike him," Severus said. He hadn't been the worst of the Marauders, but that was hardly worth an award, "I had been curious for months where the boy was taken out of the castle each month. I… had considered that he could be a werewolf but dismissed it as ludicrous as he was allowed in the school. Sirius Black told me where to go if I really wanted to know what Remus's secret was, and I was stupid or desperately curious enough to follow his instructions," it was cathartic to tell Dora all of this, like it always was to speak to her.

"If Potter hadn't found out and decided to protect Lupin and Black from it all, I might be dead, or infected. I did not enjoy feeling in James Potter's debt, even if I knew it was not largely for _my_ benefit that he stopped the encounter. I still caught a glimpse of the transformed werewolf, and it was far more than I ever wished to see."

"I'm sorry, Severus. I- thought I knew who Sirius was when I was a kid," She said, voice tighter than her normal warm tones. They hadn't spoken much about the escaped mass murderer, despite Dora being on the team leading the effort on capturing the man.

"He was around a lot, after his parents kicked him out, or he left. I didn't get to go out very much, because my metamorphmagus abilities weren't well controlled, so I couldn't spend time in the muggle world, and there was the war going on in the magical world so... But Sirius would watch me sometimes, when my parents were out, and we'd go fun places. To a park or to Diagon Alley or something. I didn't understand that it was reckless, or I maybe didn't care. I was just a kid. I just knew that my parents wouldn't take me anywhere in the muggle or magical world, and I loved when he was around most of all."

"I'm sorry, Dora." What else could he say to that. He didn't want to rob her of happy childhood memories, even if they prominently featured a man he dispised.

"It's alright. I knew he went bad and deserved to go to Azkaban. Witness reports say how crazed he was. I just- I don't like to think about him already being bad when I knew him back then. But to do that to you and to his friend Remus... That just wasn't the young man I knew, or thought I knew."

"That happens to many of us," Severus said. How many times had he been wrong about a person? About the Dark Lor- _no_ , about Tom Riddle.

"It always bothered me that he never got a trial. Did you know that? Even if he admitted that he was guilty, he should have received a trial. I- thought maybe he was Imperioused, or that he just... actually went insane. There is some insanity in the family. I went to Azkaban a few times in my training, but I never even tried to see him. I thought about it, thought about it for weeks upon weeks, but- I didn't want to see what- I was afraid to see."

"It is, perfectly understandable, Dora," he said as gently as he could, wrapping arms around the witch. He wasn't any good at comforting Harry either, but neither seemed to mind.

"What happened afterwards? Sirius wasn't expelled, and neither was Lupin, if he's working here now."

"Black received some detentions and loss of Hogsmead privileges, or something along those lines. And a- combination of bribes were presented to me. I received support and connections to pursue my mastery in potions, beginning the work while still at Hogwarts even, connections a poor halfblood wouldn't usually have access to. And it was implied that my life would be more difficult if I were to reveal the facts of the incident."

"What?! Who threatened you. Dumbledore?"

"Not in so many words. It was never overt. He said it was to protect Lupin who was actually innocent in the situation, though I did not see it that way at the time. In any case, I doubt it spared him much difficulty later in life. Of course, I knew the arrangement was also to protect Black, the only _Gryffindor_ Black in generations. The deal was very Slytherin in nature, and I benefited greatly from it, though it did little to settle my fury at the time." He had years ago lost most of the venom from that particular injustice directed at anyone besides Sirius Black.

"But you- you _work_ for Dumbledore. You seem to respect him, and you work with him on the horcruxes and all..."

"I _do_ respect him. Not as a blind follower to a master that I was in my youth. No one is this pinnacle of wisdom and justice that he makes himself to appear, and seeming to be everyone's grandfather figure is a persona he has been developing for longer than either of us have been alive. As I said, sometimes the man could almost be a Slytherin."

"That isn't- necessarily the type of person I'd want as a leader," Dora said slowly. "And I don't mean any slight against Slytherin- not that he even is one."

"Regardless, he makes a good leader, influential in the lives of most of the wizarding population in the country, even if he's never held public office. Those we respected when we were young will always have some sway over us." Even if for Dora, that included Sirius Black, Severus understood.

Dora sighed, "You think about a lot of things all the time. Do you ever get tired of it?"

"Nearly constantly," he admitted. Though he was less weary of the world when she was around.

"Then you deserve a fun day in Hogsmeade, with all of the happy children who will definitely _not_ ruin our time. A day filled with no creepy houses and bad memories, just sweets, drinks, and good company, and watching Harry enjoy the same."

"As you wish," he smiled the little smile she could always get out of him.

*****Severus*****

What did Albus want at this time on a Saturday? News on Black, perhaps? Or informing him that the students' Hogsmeade visit would be cancelled so that Severus could stop worrying about it but not be the one to personally ruin Harry' fun? Parenting made Severus irrationally worried. Even _Black_ wasn't stupid enough to wander into one of the most protected areas in the country, unless he was affected enough by his time in Azkaban that he shouldn't even be considered a threat. But the man was the first to ever escape…

"Albus, you summoned me?" Severus asked, as politely as he could manage. The room was empty except for the Headmaster.

"Yes, Severus. You will be pleased to hear that I have a promising lead on the location of another horcrux and hoped you would accompany me. I believe we will be able to retrieve and destroy it together."

"Of course," Severus replied. He hadn't thought about the horcruxes nearly as much as he should have in the months since Black's escape. But if the escapee had plans of assisting his old master, destroying all of the horcruxes was more important than ever. "When shall we leave?"

"I thought tomorrow would be best, a day with no obligations to the castle."

"A day when my son is traipsing around outside of the grounds, largely unsupervised?" Severus reminded him.

"There will be professors watching in addition to the aurors, a duty you did not put your name down for, Severus."

"Because then another professor would not have gone," Severus stated simply. The more qualified professionals amidst the children, the better Severus could sleep at night. Additionally, Severus did not want to feel additional obligation to look after the other troublesome children.

"If you wish to delay another week…" Albus offered.

"No." Finding and destroying horcruxes was their first priority. Severus hadn't had any inspiration himself, and they couldn't afford to delay this lead. Harry would be fine. And Severus would speak to Dora this evening. He knew she would understand.

*****Severus*****

"You're on a hunt," Dora surmised as soon as she sat down. "Trust me enough to take me along this time?" she jabbed lightly.

"It is never a matter of trust, Dora. Albus would like me to accompany him tomorrow to retrieve and destroy a horcrux tomorrow."

" _Ah_. So I'm on babysitting duty? I could go with ' _Albus'_ you know. I won't even yell at him as I'd like to, unless he calls me by my first name again."

"I- am not sure how Albus would feel about that change," Severus said diplomatically. Better than to admit that he had not considered the possibility of her presence. She wouldn't take kindly to him underestimating her abilities.

"It's _fine_ , Severus," she smiled. "I will be a superb babysitter and protector."

"I know there will already be aurors in the village," Severus said, feeling uncomfortable for asking her to give up her day away from work when he would even be abandoning her for it.

"But you'll feel better if I'm keeping a special eye out for him," Dora butted in. "Or at least you _had_ _better_ feel better about it," she jokingly threatened.

"I will," Severus promised, a smile tugging again at his thin lips. He didn't deserve this witch.

 **A/N: Sorry this isn't longer. I almost went through the Hogsmeade visit, but wouldn't have been able to get it edited in time to get it out this morning. Please let me know what you think! If you're mad at Albus, I believe you will enjoy the next chapter.**


	44. Chapter 44 The Cave

Chapter 44- The Cave

*****Harry*****

Harry was glad to have such a busy day ahead of him, with the visit to Hogsmeade and the feast that night. He liked to stay busy on Halloween. It had always been his favorite holiday growing up, because it was interesting and magical and his aunt and uncle _hated_ it. They didn't even let Dudley go out and have fun or dress up. And other than that, they didn't stop Dudley from doing _anything_. Of course then Dudley would just do his best to make Harry miserable because they were both stuck inside, but as a whole, Harry thought it was worth it. And since he never really got anything for Christmas, and Dudley would parade around with dozens of new toys, Halloween was the best.

Once he came to Hogwarts and learned that it was the day his mother and James Potter died on that day… he was just now starting to get to where he could enjoy the day again, like his mother would want him to. But, he could only do that if he thought about other things all day. He'd go to Hogsmeade and the feast this year, and then he'd end the evening with just him and his dad, and Tonks if she was around.

A day of leading his friends around Hogsmeade was the perfect thing, really. He did know the most about the town, at least from being there in person, though Hermione had probably read a book or two about the place at least. And it wasn't often that he knew more about something than _both_ of his two best friends.

"We could get some butterbeer at The Three Broomsticks first, or save it for later," Harry suggested. There was a definite chill in the late October air. The town might have been more fun to visit earlier in the term, but weather wouldn't daunt them.

"Wotcher," Tonks's voice came from behind them. Harry and the others spun around to see her.

"Tonks! What are you doing here?" Harry asked, looking past her to see if his father was coming out of the castle too.

"Come on, you can walk and talk at the same time," Tonks called, now passing them. "And honest? Watching you, kid. I could definitely get away without you knowing it, you know. But I thought it was more honest this way. You can just shout if you need anything, and I'll be around."

"Thanks," Harry answered. "Where's my dad?" His dad hadn't said anything about coming to Hogsmeade, but Harry had suspected that he would. Like he didn't have to ride the train every year. Harry thought it was nice that his dad cared.

"Yeah… wanted to come, he did. I was even going to trick him into it being a bit of a date. But some business came up last minute so… here I am."

Serious business on Halloween without him. Probably some dangerous something, "Is he okay? When will he be back?" Harry asked. He wasn't frantic, just… concerned.

"Today, for sure. He'll be back before the feast if he can manage."

"Is it dangerous?" Harry asked. He wondered if Tonks would tell him the truth.

"He's with Dumbledore, Harry. He'll be fine. He would have told you himself, but it came up just last night. But he'll be fine, really." Harry nodded because he couldn't do anything else anyway. Since she hadn't said it wasn't dangerous, it definitely was. But, Ron and Hermione would start getting curious, and Harry wasn't sure what he could tell them. Ron wouldn't push him, but Hermione? "He's much more worried about you, kid, even with nearly half the auror force out here. So, I'll just be wandering around, never much out of sight. Make sure to have fun though. There's something special about the first Hogsmeade visit."

"You could just come with us," Harry offered. Maybe that way Hermione wouldn't ask him any questions.

"Oh Harry, you don't want an old lady like me hanging out with you. Your social standing will never recover. Just call if you need me," she said, taking a few steps to one side. They were just passing under the village sign.

"Okay," Harry said, walking vaguely along the main road of the village.

"Harry, what was she-" Hermione began.

"Hermione, you've got to see this book store. It's my dad's favorite," Harry told her, walking more purposely towards Tomes and Scrolls. It might have been a slight exaggeration, but Harry's father had brought him there before, in passing, and he did pick up a book.

Hermione looked at him curiously for a moment, "If you recommend it," she agreed. It probably wouldn't work stalling her forever, but it was good enough for now.

"You couldn't have found any other way to distract her?" Ron muttered as they entered the store behind Hermione.

*****Severus*****

Severus looked around the place that Albus had apparated them to. It was not a picturesque sea view, but it was somewhat awe-inspiring in a dreary, destructive way. They were on a large, mostly flat rock outcropping near the base of cliffs, water buffeting around them, soaking Severus to the knees with the chilling autumn water. At least Albus had identified the place before winter. Looking up the rock face, Severus felt sympathy for the poor muggle children that Tom Riddle brought down this path. Severus wondered if they were still alive.

"This way, now," was all Albus said before jumping into the water. Was he insane? Of course he was. The man was swimming with his lit wand between his teeth. Severus shuddered at the idea of bite marks on his own wand. 'Cave by the sea' had not been a particularly complete description of the place. It at least the tide appeared to be relatively low. Instead of swimming in that undignified way, Severus cautiously flew through the opening after Albus, dampening his person no further.

"Object to getting a little wet?" Albus asked, eyes twinkling as he hauled himself out of the water and started studying the apparently solid wall in front of them. Severus cast a drying spell on himself, and then on the headmaster as well when it was clear that the old man was ignoring basic necessities. He added a warming charm for them both when he considered the old man in the cold water. He ignored the following look from his employer, taking time to appear to study the wall himself.

"Ah. I believe this is it," Albus commented, prompting Severus to ignore his earlier embarrassment and stand behind the older wizard observing this particular stretch of wall. A muttered spell from Albus illuminated an outline of a doorway, but the entrance remained blocked. They had theorized that the horcruxes themselves would be less powerful the later they were created, as less of the monster's soul went in, but the protections could easily have been escalated to compensate.

"Oh, how crude," Dumbledore scoffed, fishing into his robes and retrieving a small knife. "It seems it requires a blood payment," the wise old fool explained before slicing into his own forearm to bleed on the rock wall, probably more than was needed, before re-pocketing the blade and healing his wound, which Severus most certainly _wasn't_ just about to heal for him.

By two wand lights the pair walked into the darkness.

"Be careful not to step in the water," Albus advised, when they could see a hazy glowing on the other side of what appeared to be a calm, subterranean lake.

Severus nearly snorted, "If you recall, _I_ was not the one who just took a swim." Severus performed a few of their scans, and isolated the most concentrated dark magic in the center of the eerie lake, though the water itself held unpleasant signs.

"Fitting isn't it, conquering the old superstition," Albus commented as he investigated an area of the water' edge.

"What?" Severus asked, hardly in the mood for Albus's banal trivia.

"That witches couldn't cross water, using witches as the old non-gendered term."

"Nonsense, of course," Severus commented. No more nonsensical than many of the thoughts that came from the Headmaster's mind.

"Oh yes, but I believe it would grate at a young Tom, that muggles thought magic could be thwarted so easily. Ah, yes, here," he said, twirling his wand and raising a small boat from the water. Severus continued to look at the water before them as Albus studied the boat. "It will only hold one of us, I believe, by magical signature if not by weight, and there are anti-apparition wards around the cave."

"Why would Riddle not simply fly across the water?" Severus questioned.

Albus considered, "He could have concealed the locket before acquiring that particular ability."

"Possible," Severus allowed, staring at the inky liquid suspiciously. He didn't trust the boat either, thinking it equally likely that his old master would place the craft as a decoy. There were indeed anti-apparition wards in the cave, but Severus couldn't detect anything additional in the air.

"I will see you on the other side then, my good man?" Albus prompted, climbing into the boat himself. The old man didn't sink instantly at least.

"Be ready to assist if I encounter a ward," Severus bit back his pride enough to request.

"Of course."

Severus rose with as little hesitation as he could manage, wand gripped tightly in hand, and flew as high as the ceiling allowed, so Albus would have time to assist if Severus encountered an issue. And he had reason to wish to be far away from the shadowed liquid. The jagged stone roof seemed so natural and harmless in comparison.

When he had land below him again to descend upon, Severus was breathing more heavily than the energy expended demanded. Duty bound, he turned to find Albus also crossing without difficulty, and breathed easier when the boat reached the island shore. Though it had occurred to him that perhaps _entering_ was not the difficult portion of the endeavor.

"There are inferi in the lake," the Headmaster informed him as the man carefully stepped out of the small craft.

Severus did not _cringe_ at the thought exactly. How easy he or anyone he knew on either side of the war could have met the same fate, without even the dignity of returning properly to rest in the earth.

The two men slowly approached the basin in front of them. Severus peered over to see a glowing green potion that was unpleasantly familiar.

Brew of the Maniae. Something Severus had brewed for the Dar- for Tom Riddle on multiple occasions. Bile rose in his throat.

"Mania's Brew," Severus supplied. "Used to induce signs of madness when introduced in small amounts over extended periods of time." He had never been comfortable using his skills with potions for his former master; didn't like the corruption of the art. Perhaps Riddle knew not to ask him to brew death. But a potion slipped into the right ministry official's drink at the right time… could be just as damaging, even if the portion was not meant to leave lasting effects.

"Would consuming this amount be lethal?" Albus asked

" _What?_ " Surely he did not intend for them… but of course that was what the potion was there for.

"Just a suspicion," Albus announced before he plunged his hand into- no, before his hand was _stopped_ just above the surface of the liquid. Albus pressed harder to prove his point. He then tried a variety of other spells: summoning the locket that could faintly be seen at the bottom, vanishing, transfiguring, and moving the liquid in every way to no avail. "Nothing left to try then, he said before conjuring a needlessly ornate crystal goblet. And this _did_ work, the shining cup breaking the surface and collecting a much larger than recommended dose of the potion.

"Albus, at least try pouring it out," Severus requested just as the old man was going to drink it.

Albus complied, expression clear that he thought himself to be humoring Severus. The potion vanished as it left the cup, and Severus turned back to the basin to see the level just perceptively rising again.

"No, it appears that I must. And you must force me to continue, even as the madness sets in and I resist, that it not an option. You must not consume any of it yourself if you are to have your wits about you for our escape."

Severus looked at the green potion again. "Of course."

"To your health, Severus," Albus raised the cup as if in a toast before downing the liquid. He shuddered but plunged the goblet in for a second cup. Speed would serve them well here, but Severus did not wish to push yet.

Albus managed through the fourth goblet-full unaided before he dropped the empty cup.

"No, no more," the most powerful wizard in perhaps the world whined.

Severus retrieved and refilled the cup.

Albus took it and began to drink, but stopped halfway through. "Why?" The old man asked. "Is it because I was bad?"

"No, Headmaster," Severus said, hoping the man's position would mean something to him. "Don't you recall just saying that you had to do this? To stop Riddle, remember?"

The man nodded noncommittally, but did not resist further as Severus gently tipped the liquid into his mouth. Severus was beginning to feel ill at the ordeal as well.

The sixth cup was no easier, "No! No! I'll be good, I promise."

"You're doing great," was all of the meaningless words Severus could say as he slipped another cup down the man's throat, careful not to let him choke.

The seventh, the eighth, "Make it stop!"

"Just one more." A lie.

The ninth, the tenth. "NO! Just KILL ME!"

"No," Severus replied, shaking but relieved that in the eleventh filling, he felt the goblet scrape against the locket, and he could only gather half a cup. Surely that was enough. It would be so much easier just to down the liquid himself. But he couldn't assure their safety like that. "I won't be doing that," he said as he leaned down to deliver the last amount.

Even if he _felt_ like he was killing the man, forcing the liquid down his throat. "It is finished," he announced, dropping the damn conjured chalice to the ground. He was half surprised that the pretty thing didn't shatter on impact. Would anyone else create a thing of beauty when faced with such a distasteful task?

The old wizard slumped over. Severus was relieved that he could tell that the Albus was still breathing heavily. At least he was assured of the man's continued existence.

"Albus?" Severus asked.

"Water," the wizard begged.

"Yes, of course," Severus retrieved the same cup simply because he did not wish to create a new one, "Aguamenti," he incanted, no longer caring if he was sloppily casting aloud, filling the goblet with clear water.

That wasn't to be though, because the water vanished before reaching Albus's lips.

Albus Dumbledore whimpered.

"Aquamenti," Severus tried again, directly into the professor's mouth, but that too failed. It was something from the cave they were in, not from the potion itself, Severus was certain. Though he had never heard of such a large dose administered. "I'm sorry, Albus," Severus whispered.

But he had more than a disabled companion to deal with. He was now dealing with a dark artifact virtually alone. He wished momentarily that Dora were there with him, but admittedly the logistics were difficult enough with only the two of them.

At least they had it now, the third horcrux to destroy, Severus thought, carefully approaching the empty basin. He knew that Albus was in severe discomfort but if they left the place, or delayed too long, there was no guarantee that the enchantments would not be reset, and Severeus also couldn't afford to rush and mishandle a-

An _imitation?_ The locket didn't look exactly as Severus had expected. He would swear that this one was a bit larger and duller than the one around Merope Gaunt's neck. And from this positioning, he couldn't see any engraving though perhaps on the other side…

Severus levitated the thing out of the basin, away from the dark magic contamination already in that place. A few more diagnostic spells confirmed it. Nothing but cheap metals, not even real gold. How funny that a Slytherin heirloom should be gold to begin with, Severus dimly thought. There were no curses placed upon the thing that he could detect. Still conjuring a handkerchief, Severus grabbed the locket from the ground and shoved it in his pocket before turning back to his employer and long-time mentor… who was currently slowly crawling towards the water like a small child.

"No, no, Albus," Severus said, grabbing the man's ankle and pulling him back. What muggle means was he reduced to without thought? "You will have water after we are able to leave this place. It won't kill you to wait," he said. Probably…

He needed options. The boat wouldn't do. No, best to levitate the headmaster over first, even if the distance was large. He wondered how far from the water the inferi could reach, and if there was anything else deadly waiting for them.

"Levicorpus," Severus muttered aloud.

Halfway across, and the water appeared innocuous enough. The delirious wizard was reaching desperately _towards_ the infested lake, robes slipping to show an uncomfortable amount of old man legs.

Severus couldn't allow guilt to sway him, he knew, as he concentrated on seeing the headmaster safely over to the other side. Almost there now.

 _What?_

The headmaster plummeted into the lake head first. The crazed old man had cancelled his spell!

Fire, the best defense against inferi, could hurt the headmaster. Summoning him would put them in no better position than they were in before. Stealing himself, Severus flew into the air, hoping that no inferi would decide he was also a worthwhile target.

"Accio!" he cried, drawing a soggy headmaster and two inferi with him, still pulling the man down. One of them looked to be the body of a child no more than ten years old, biting Albus's leg.

Severus flew, precariously towing Albus and his hangers-on into an undignified crumpled landing for himself, settling the screaming and flailing Albus Dumbledore down more gently. At least the man hadn't drowned.

Blasting the inferi back into the water, trying not to look at what was left of faces, Severus threw up a wall of fire to deter any from following. They weren't even protecting a real horcrux, for Merlin's sake!

Severus again cast a levitation charm on the man until they were at the now resealed wall they had walked through.

"Blood," Albus croaked, fishing through his robes for that damned knife.

"Keep your blood, Albus," Severus snapped, using his wand for a small, controlled slice on his right forearm that he healed just as easily. The archway opened to allow their escape, Severus choosing this time to physically half-drag Dumbledore out the short distance rather than bothering with another charm. He was irritatingly muggle at times.

Severus tested the wards, and to his displeasure found that they would have to leave the outer cave as well before he could disapparate them to safety. And the rising tide meant that he would have to submerge much of himself and the headmaster into the water to leave the cave. One more inconvenience.

"I have to float you out of here, but don't worry, we have passed the danger," Severus found himself saying, attempting to soothe the old man like he would Harry. He could only hope that his employer wouldn't remember most of their outing the next morning.

"I am not worried, Severus. I am with you."

Severus would deny that the tightness in his chest could have been from… sentimentality. It was simply annoyance that the man hadn't been thinking as sanely minutes earlier to prevent the ordeal.

*****Harry*****

"Neville!" Harry called to the boy walking around Hogsmeade by himself.

"Yeah?" Neville replied, looking up and smiling a bit.

"We're going to check out the Three Broomsticks, want to come?" They had decided to save warm butterbeers for the end of their trip. Good to her word, Harry had hardly noticed Tonks at all (and only then because from their lessons he was used to seeing her in all sorts of forms. She liked a harmless old lady look especially.) Though she really could have just spent the day with them.

"Yeah!" Neville agreed eagerly. Harry regretted that he hadn't asked Neville about his Hogsmeade plans earlier. He really liked Neville, it was just that he seemed to just happen to spend most of his time with Ron and Hermione. But Dean and Seamus were usually with each other, and the other girls in their year were kind of a group too, so Neville… probably felt left out a lot, Harry was realizing. Harry had been trying harder to include the boy, especially after seeing Neville's boggart but… sometimes habits were hard to break.

"Hey, Harry, has that old witch been following you?" Neville asked as Tonks slipped into the Three Broomsticks after them.

"Yeah, but don't worry about it. She's just Tonks."

Neville looked surprised but then twisted around for a better look. "Cool!"

 **A/N: So it is an old superstition that witches couldn't cross water (rather contradictory to the other superstition that witches could swim whereas innocent people would sink). Apparently JKR had that old tale in mind when she had the Dursleys go to the house on the water to avoid the letters from Hogwarts. I didn't see the superstition mentioned in reference to the locket scene, but I thought the comparison was interesting.**

 **The Maniae (mania singular) are Greek spirits of insanity. I thought that a Potions Master should recognize what the potion was, so I supplied it. A few lines in the cave scene were very similar to those in** _ **Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince**_ **, though I did not copy directly. I enjoyed exploring the differences that Severus's presence would make. Please review!**


	45. Chapter 45 Long Night

Chapter 44- Long Night

*****Harry*****

Harry looked at all of the excited faces around him, especially his fellow third year friends just back from their first trip to Hogsmeade and ready for an excellent feast. Neville was sitting with them too, chatting with Ron about the best sweets from Honeydukes compared to the Hogwarts pudding on feast days. Harry, on the other hand, couldn't stop looking almost constantly at the head table. His father wasn't back yet, and neither was the headmaster. Didn't everyone else wonder why Professor McGonagall was starting the Halloween Feast when it was Dumbledore's job?

Ron and Hermione both tried to comfort him saying they were sure everything was fine, but sometimes they didn't get it. Harry only ate anything when Hermione reminded him gently that his dad wouldn't want Harry missing a meal from worrying about him.

The live bats and the floating pumpkins with candles in them didn't amuse Harry like they normally would, and Harry was just ready for the feast to be over.

"I'm just going to go to my room and see if my dad's there," Harry said as the students were finally dismissed.

"We'll go with you," Ron volunteered looking pointedly at Hermione.

"It's fine. I was going to spend the night there anyway," Harry brushed off.

"But would your father want you going down there alone at night?" Hermione asked. The Halloween feast did end later than a normal dinner, so it was rather late.

Harry spared one last look for where there had been two empty seats at the head table, "I'll just go back to the common room and then take the floo," Harry said in compromise. He did have bad feelings about stuff happening on Halloween, and if his friends were worried about him walking to the dungeons alone, the he didn't want them walking back without him either.

By the time they finally got to the common room, Harry was anxious to get in and take the floo, so he was annoyed by the backup at the portrait hole.

"What's going on?" Harry asked.

"Budge up and let me through," came Percy's voice from somewhere on the left. "I'm Head Boy!" he reminded them, as he made it towards the front, from what Harry could tell from the shifting crowd. Harry also squirmed towards the part in the crowd.

"You," Harry heard Percy speak again, "Go get Professor McGonagall immediately." Harry saw a sixth year prefect hurry away from the group. Harry was thinking that they really needed better ways to call for their Head of House like the Slytherins did.

Harry stuck his head out to see through the closing gap in students. He couldn't actually remember anything being bad enough that Percy followed through on a threat to inform Professor McGonagall of something. Finally seeing the portrait, Harry gasped. He understood how this was bad enough.

"Someone slashed up the Fat Lady's portrait," Harry explained. The fat lady wasn't in her frame, and she never left her portrait because then students wouldn't be able to get in. She could have friends visit her portrait, but she wouldn't leave. "She's not there," Harry added, looking around.

Professor McGonagall arrived shortly and led them all back to the Great Hall, after Peeves declared that the attack was made by Sirius Black.

"Professor McGonagall," Harry called, catching up to the swiftly moving older witch. "Do you know where my dad is?" he asked, not caring if he sounded like a child.

"No, Mister Potter, I do not, other than Professor Dumbledore informed me that I would have acting Headmistress duties this evening if he did not return before the feast. I will _not_ allow the two of them to escape without more thorough questioning in the future," the woman clipped, but Harry thought she was worried about them too, and probably about Sirius Black. It was probably worse, because he knew that Professor McGonagall taught his dad and that year when they were children, so to see one of her Gryffindors go so bad… and endanger the lives of her current students…

*****Severus*****

Severus apparated the two of them to Hogsmeade and disturbed numerous of the town's quiet residents bursting through the doors of the Three Broomsticks to access their floo. Severus had been more often in recent years to the Hog's Head, but avoided the place in this situation out of deference to whatever existed between the Dumbledore brothers being none of his business. The two men were old enough to deal with it themselves even if both of them were being stupid.

He dragged Albus through the floo into the Headmaster's office, because it was closer to the Hospital Wing than Severus's chambers were.

"I could walk now, Severus," Albus said lightly as Severus helped him into a white bed. The wing was empty, with even Poppy occupied at the feast.

"I need to treat possible infection and close the wounds from the inferi. And _then_ you need strengthening solutions and to sleep, preferably dreamlessly." It was nothing that he couldn't handle really, though Severus wished Madame Pomfrey were present to deal with the man instead.

"Not to sleep yet, my boy. Were you able to destroy the horcrux? I realize I was much more of a hindrance after a point."

 _Ah._ Of course Albus would ask the question that Severus most wanted to avoid in that moment, telling the Headmaster that the man had risked his life for no gain. There was no way to soften that news.

"It was a fake," Severus declared. He should have done more tests, should have known before Albus downed the damn potion. But there had been plenty of dark magic in the place, and he hadn't thought his old master would have been one to plot such an elaborate decoy.

Severus looked away from the Headmaster's crumbled look. Only then did the feeble man in the hospital wing bed truly look defeated.

"Severus! And Albus! Thank Merlin!" Lupin came bursting into the ward. The wolf was glad to see them? Why would the wolf ever wish to see Severus if he did not require his Wolfsbane?

Poppy was with him, already bustling rather quickly around the Headmaster's bed, casting her own diagnostic charms. Severus ceded control of Albus's condition gladly.

"What are you going on about?" Severus snapped.

"Sirius broke into the castle," Lupin told him. "I didn't help him. I swear. I wouldn't. He tried to get into Gryffindor Tower during the feast, but got stopped at the portrait, but he sliced up the Fat Lady's portrait. And everyone's gathering in the Great Hall, and McGonagall sent out searches of the castle," Lupin explained.

"Where's Harry?" Severus interrupted.

"The Great Hall. He's safe. Everyone's safe. Sirius… must not have known the day or something and we got lucky." That didn't sit well with Severus.

"And where are my Slytherins?"

Remus blinked, "In their common room, I think. You weren't there, so they might not know about the break in."

With a flick of his wand, Severus checked that none of the curfew ward alarms had been broken around the Slytherin dungeons. He would need to speak to his students that night, but adolescent _Slytherins_ were not the focus of this attack. He needed to see Harry _now_.

"Now, you young men can head back to the Great Hall and I will tend to the Headmaster. Severus, I believe young Harry is quite concerned for you," Poppy was saying.

"Poppy, you need to go back to the Great Hall. Perhaps we could take the one of the beds with us for the Headmaster?" Lupin urged.

"And I told _you_ that I would stay here," Madame Pomfrey maintained. "The wing is clear and I have a patient to care for. Albus and I will be just fine, and I am more than capable of raising protection wards to bar everyone over the age of eighteen if I wished to."

"Thank you, Poppy. I'm leaving. Stay here if you wish," Severus called to Lupin, striding for the door. As predicted, the wolf followed a few steps behind.

What would happen if he tried summoning a broomstick? It didn't seem likely that the thing would make it in one piece, and then he would be there no faster, Severus pondered as he ran through the halls. Harry was safe, Severus reminded himself. No one had even been inside the tower.

When Severus burst into the Great Hall, it was covered in sleeping cots and everything was calm. He found Minerva conversing with other professors and went there first.

"Severus, where is Albus?" Minerva demanded of him on sight.

"Hospital Wing with Poppy," he answered. "They are fine."

"I- will need to hear about that further when there is a time. Remus and Poppy would have been last to report, so we have a declared 'all clear.' Would you like to retrieve your students as well? I am sorry that I haven't had a moment to retrieve them myself."

Severus stared at her. "No, I would not." What exactly was the point of gathering them in one place? Of course the Gryffindors had to go somewhere if they could not enter their common room, but why would the rest of the houses follow? To protect the Gryffindors? "If Black were to pursue my students, I am more than happy for him to destroy the portrait if it still bars his entrance. None of my wards have been breached. And to that end, I will be taking Harry with me."

"Severus, are you sure that is wise?"

"I believe I can protect him adequately behind numerous wards, yes," Severus hissed. "Escort us to the nearest floo if you wish," Severus mentioned, with no intention of walking with Harry alone. "And surely you must consider the safety of your _other_ little lions?" It wasn't logic that he would want Harry hearing, but the other children would doubtless be safer with Harry farther away- at least in theory. In practice, Sirius Black was imbalanced and didn't mind slaughtering any number of unrelated bystanders.

"Of course I won't try to stop you from taking him. Take Filius and Remus with you but tell them to come back quickly. We have declared the castle clear, but I'll still feel better when the sun comes up. Funny how strong we can be and still be afraid of the dark," Minerva waxed on sounding like the old fool in the infirmary. But sending both Filius and Remus with him was a strong declaration of her care.

"You are speaking to a man who has lived in a dungeon for the vast majority of his life," Severus reminded her, stalking off to find his son. He was also the Head of Slytherin, in charge of hundreds of children without access to windows. He knew that some nights there were candles left burning even in the seventh year dormitories.

Severus spotted the long mop of black hair between red and brown and went to retrieve his child.

"Harry?" he called softly upon approach.

"Dad!" the boy shrieked, standing quicker than Severus would have expected from his cot, legs still tangled as he half fell into Severus's arms, gripping him tightly. Had Harry- had anyone- ever hugged him so desperately or so publicly? "You weren't at Hogsmeade or at the feast, and then Sirius Black broke into the castle and you weren't there," the boy muttered under his breath.

Snape glared at the Gryffindors with the audacity to smile at him and the scene they were making. Most of them had the decency to turn away. "I am sorry that I did not inform you of my absence sooner," was the best Severus thought he could offer. "Come along now though. We are going back to our rooms," Severus said firmly.

Harry finally let him go and looked back at his friends. Even Longbottom hadn't been frightened from watching them, and Ron Weasley was smiling at him. "My friends will be okay here?" Harry asked. Severus hadn't liked the thought that Harry might ask to bring half of his year with him, and Minerva wouldn't take kindly to the request. And Miss Granger was too old for a 'sleep over' with two or three of her male peers in the room to be strictly proper.

"Yes, they will be," Severus answered.

Harry clung to Severus non-wand arm for their brief trip. Lupin had the good sense to hide his smile, but Filius made no such attempts. And Severus did not too much mind the indignity. He certainly wouldn't make Harry let go, even as they used the floo together.

Severus looked at his son, drowsy sitting on their couch. He still needed to speak to his Slytherins, but was entirely unwilling to leave Harry alone, even in the most highly protected part of the castle that he could manage.

"I'm just going to use the floo. If you need anything at all, just speak up, and I'll still hear you, alright?" Severus asked.

Harry's nod turned into a yawn, hands clapping quickly over his open mouth. He looked younger than a third year, but it had been a very long day for the child.

Severus threw in enough floo powder to make the flames green and with only a bit of hesitation, plunged his head into it, declaring "Slytherin Common Room." It was entirely undignified.

"Prefects to me," Severus called when his head stopped spinning. Shocked fifth through seventh years stood before him within moments. A circle of the rest of his house fell into place behind them. Good. "No one is to leave the dormitory tonight. No owling your families until morning. Sirius Black came into the castle tonight."

The students looked appropriately grim. "I urge you all to consider your _own_ thoughts more heavily than those of your parents and to make wise decisions that are best for your safety, as any Slytherin should." It was bold talk by Slytherin standards, but his knees were starting to hurt. "Understood?" Severus asked.

He received the unified chorus of "Yes, Professor," before withdrawing his head from the floo.

"Bed," Severus instructed to the boy curled up on their couch.

Severus helped the Harry into bed, removing his shoes and transfiguring his robes into more suitable sleep clothes. It was easier for the time being, and Harry would be comfortable.

"Thanks," the sleepy child said as Severus was leaving the room.

Severus sat on his couch, finally with a moment to breathe, to think.

"Hey," Dora arrived through his floo with just barely enough grace that it always surprised him that nothing was injured. "I know it's late, but I just- wanted to make sure that you were okay after the Halloween feast? And hear about your hunting of course."

Halloween. Severus hadn't considered for hours that it was the anniversary of Lily's death. He hadn't even spent much time with Harry as they had vaguely planned. But perhaps it was better that there were enough things going on in his life that- the day didn't hurt so badly anymore.

"I am- well enough. Any problems have nothing to do with the date," Severus began.

"So… I shouldn't ask about the hunting?" Dora asked.

"Albus suffered some effects from enchantments and the horcrux was a fake," Severus summarized this earlier trouble, "I missed the feast settling Albus, and then was told by Lupin that while all of the castle was in the Great Hall, Sirius Black attempted to gain entry to the Gryffindor dorms," Dora's eyes reacted appropriately, but she didn't interrupt. "No one encountered him. No one is injured or dead. He damaged the Gryffindor portrait, and the Gryffindors are sleeping in the Great Hall under charge of Minerva and several other members of the staff. I took Harry back here by the nearest floo when the first sweep of the castle was clear," Severus recounted.

Dora was all business, "Do you think we can assume that Black wanted entry while the dormitory was empty? Perhaps to lie in wait, or to do something and then leave without being seen at all?"

"Or perhaps he simply confused the date. Azkaban residents are not known for thorough planning," Severus said, though it had struck him as well that Black picked the evening that Harry was most guaranteed to not be in his dormitory. And he had previously shown no hesitation of killing indiscriminately, so why avoid a bunch of students? Fear of the older students, no doubt. Surely?

"Unlikely but possible, working under the assumption that it's Harry he's after which… we have no reason to doubt. What else can you tell me?" She questioned. "I need to report this to Kingsley. What did he do to the portrait?"

"He- cut it," Severus recalled hearing. "Ripped it to shreds."

"But with a knife or a cutting spell?"

"I don't know," Severus admitted. "I didn't see the portrait."

"It's fine. Do you have a physical description of Black? Did he look any different than when he escaped? Any theories on how he entered the castle? I _would_ doubt it was the main doors with hundreds of people so close, but he's made a less believable escape already. Perhaps we can trace a path according to portraits."

She was asking very good questions, better questions than any of the professors had including himself. It shouldn't surprise him when he knew she was good at her job. "I do not have a clear physical description," he admitted, "But he was recognized, I believe from pictures in the Prophet, because he bears no great resemblance to how he did to his school years. I- do not know of any portrait accounts, only that none of the living castle residents encountered him," Severus recounted. He didn't even know where the knowledge of Black did come from. Surely the Gryffindors weren't just assuming it was Black? _Gryffindors_.

"That's enough to go on for now, and Kingsley will want to know. I- do want to- talk more later but… So, when I'm done reporting to Kingsley, is it alright if I come back?"

It would be late, he knew, but he wasn't likely to sleep anyway. "Of course," he answered.

"Don't let me keep you up. Or- you should stay awake until I get back, I guess, but then you can get some sleep and I'll watch. I'm not supposed to have a shift tomorrow, and I can count these hours now anyway," Dora said as she reached for floo powder.

"It's not needed, but we can discuss it upon your return," Severus settled on. He should have just told the woman to go sleep in her own flat. She seemed to spend few enough hours there as it was and would need her rest.

Severus confirmed that Harry was asleep by the time Dora left. The boy was trusting him to handle it then. Severus hoped he had made the right decision to remove Harry from the hall. He was certain that his son would _not_ be returning to Gryffindor Tower in the near future.

And the next two hours were spent pondering over Black, plans for protecting Harry, and the fake horcrux.

Once discovered, Severus understood the message immediately, but it only left him with more uncomfortable thoughts, more conversations that would need to happen but not in the middle of the night.

"Well, Black is definitely not in the castle," Dora said, stumbling out of his floo. She looked more tired than he felt. Though it was tension that kept him awake, not being previously rested.

"You should sleep," Severus said, standing to greet her. She leaned into his chest before he even had arms around her.

"Yeah. Kinglsey's been talking to McGonagall and aurors have swept the castle multiple times. He seemed pretty miffed that it didn't look like anyone was even going to contact the aurors leading the hunt of Black."

"I- apologize. There were other things on my mind," Severus said. Like a worryingly fragile Albus and his son to protect.

"Not your fault," Dora mumbled into his shoulder. "You're not the Headmaster or the Deputy Head. I even recognize that they had other stuff going on too. Kingsley'll get over it when we catch him, and Black was probably long gone before anyone could have gotten us anyway." She yawned and nestled her head into his chest. "And portraits are surprisingly unobservant. What else do they have to do? Most of them were off celebrating Halloween with each other," she complained. "I couldn't believe they lost track of him. Kingsley did congratulate me on the idea though," Dora told him. "The only eye-witness accounts were from the Fat Lady and Peeves."

 _Peeves_. "It was a good idea," Severus agreed, "But now you need sleep. We're as safe as we can be anywhere, I think," he told her. He even believed it, intellectually. Safety was entirely relative, but no one was getting through his portrait hole with the number of wards he now had on it. And no one could enter through his floo that wasn't the Headmaster or someone already in the rooms. Or Draco.

"No, no, _you're_ supposed to get sleep, and I'm going to sit on the couch and watch the door for you so you don't have to worry," Dora half-whined. It was strangely endearing.

"Unnecessary."

"I'm not working tomorrow. You are. Just let me stay, please?"

"Sleep in my bed," Severus found himself blurting. "I mean- I will stay on the couch."

"No, no, you're supposed to sleep," Dora said again. The witch was as stubborn as he was.

"Tom Riddle himself wouldn't be able to breach my wards without waking me with enough time for all three of us to floo from here."

"Then I'm really not needed here, am I?" She wasn't, really. No reason at all.

"Just stay," he said. _Why?_

"And you'll sleep?" She _wanted_ to stay.

"If I can't, it won't be from physical discomfort but from thoughts of the day that we've had."

"Dumbledore's going to be fine?" Dora asked.

"Yes, he will be."

"Good."

"Good _night_."

And then somehow he was trying to sleep on his slightly transfigured couch while a -the- woman he… cared for was sleeping in his bed. Was she wearing something comfortable enough to sleep in? Should he have offered her a shirt or-? No, that didn't bear dwelling on. She was there because she was worried for Harry. And… perhaps for him too. And he had let her because… perhaps it was nice to have someone to worry.

 **A/N: So, Halloween is finally over. Please review and let me know what you thought. There are still many repercussions from the day's activities for everyone to sort through. I just skimmed over the bits that were like canon, so I hope that's fine. I'm trying to stay ahead with my writing, so I hope you enjoy!**


	46. Chapter 46 RAB

Chapter 45- R.A.B.

*****Severus*****

Severus had slept poorly and Dora was still asleep when he and Harry left for breakfast. He hadn't mentioned that she was there at all. He wasn't sure if that was the correct adult thing to do or if it made him a coward. Not that anything had happened. No one would possibly notice that he wore the same robes from the day before. All of his teaching robes were identical, and he had cast freshening charms. There was no reason that he should feel like a fifth year fumbling at decorum.

Severus walked Harry to breakfast, and then went to the hospital wing in time to see Albus leaving and for Severus to insist that they go to the headmaster's office for a discussion.

"Here it is," Severus said, handing over the thing he had spent useless hours poring over, that they had risked their lives to retrieve, that had caused him to be away from the castle during danger. The note he handed over second. He didn't need to look at it any longer to know the words.

 _To the Dark Lord_

 _I know I will be dead long before you read this_

 _but I want you to know that it was I who discovered your secret._

 _I have stolen the real Horcrux and intend to destroy it as soon as I can._

 _I face death in the hope that when you meet your match,_

 _you will be mortal once more._

 _R.A.B._

Severus voiced what he knew from when he first read the note, "That would be Regulus. Regulus Arcturus Black.

"Yes, poor boy," Albus commented, still staring at the message.

"The rumor was that he tried to back out of the Death Eaters and was killed for it. But it appears that he was more _assertive_ in his betrayal. However, I dislike relying on Regulus to have properly disposed of the object, giving us very little new information to glean."

"He could not have been alone retrieving the true locket," Albus reminded him. "I believe that capturing Sirius Black could provide more information, or access to the Black ancestral home, where Regulus might have kept the horcrux. We have little chance of finding that home without a proper Black heir," Albus decided.

"Perhaps," Severus admitted. Capturing and _not_ instantly killing a murderer that he had a personal history with, who was after his son… "Do you find it… ironic that the Slytherin son was in the end the most redeemable?" Severus questioned. When the man gave every opportunity to the Gryffindor one. It was not a nice question, perhaps.

"No. Only sad that both of them did not live long, happy lives," the Headmaster said, to which Severus had no response. "I have gathered another memory, one from our old Horace Slughorn," Albus said, holding out the vial that Severus would look at later. "It has a sixth year Tom Riddle asking about horcruxes, but the memory is incomplete, tampered with by Horace to make himself look better, I believe. I wish to know the exact conversation that transpired, but Horace is difficult to work with."

Severus sneered, thinking about his former potions professor, "Given that Riddle would have already made at least the diary a horcrux at that point, I believe most likely that he was asking about making multiple horcruxes. Get the memory however you can, but I won't speak to the man," Severus maintained. After years of trying to impress his Head of House with his potions abilities to no avail, Severus held no fond feelings for the man.

"I doubt it will be particularly needed," Severus continued. He couldn't believe the retired old man would have any information of especial usefulness. "It seems likely that Riddle would aim for a number with magical importance, three or seven. I do not believe that we are quite lucky enough for him to have only made the three we have identified. So, I am lead to think that he wanted seven, but even that is useless information, because he may not have made the seven he had planned before his defeat."

Severus paused in recollection, "He mentioned not long before his downfall that he was working on another safeguard against death, so I am nearly certain that he did not feel complete."

"Yes, I have considered that we may not know when we are done with our hunt," Albus admitted, looking his age. The old man was formidable, and did not show weakness around many, a Slytherin trait.

Severus nodded, "You have identified that he liked to use important deaths. I believe that he had planned to use Harry's death to create one, his seventh, perhaps." Severus did not know if they should be hoping that there were ix to look for, so they could hope to find them all and have some certainty of finality, or for fewer.

"Each creation was more ambitious than the last. The diary was a convenient object, but the death was significant, his first kill. The ring was a family heirloom, more significant, and from the death of the muggle father he hated. The locket would then have been third, the death to create it unknown, but the object itself being of great importance in heritage and house alliance. The locations are important as well, as you have mentioned, one entrusted to a faithful servant and placed at two sites of early victories," Severus went on. If they just compiled every piece of information available…

"I have a few more leads that I would like to explore, tracing Tom Riddle's life before he disappeared under that name," Albus said. Severus wished to focus on nothing outside of Harry's safety, but that was also what destroying the horcruxes were ultimately about.

"Very well. I shall keep this locket in my possession then if you do not mind? Alert me whenever you have news," Severus said, leaving the Headmaster's office.

The old man was clearly tired, and Severus had too many things to deal with, and his fifth year potions class was approaching. And now he'd need to tell Dora that he needed to question Black, and hope that aurors didn't find him outside of her presence and have the brute killed or kissed on sight.

And he had to balance all of that while teaching a full schedule of classes and inventing further ways to keep Harry safe.

Severus's mood was not improved by the Weasley twins being in the classroom before he even arrived. More than half an hour early. What _this_ time?

"Yes?" Severus asked when it became undeniable that the boys were standing before his desk to talk to him, not to begin brewing a potion early.

"You've been good to us," George began. "Saving our sister, and with the potions, and Harry's practically family, so you're…" the normally articulate boy faltered, and for once his brother didn't jump right in.

"The point, Mr. Weasleys?" He didn't think he could quite stand being deemed any sort of pseudo-uncle to the Weasley clan.

"It's completely against the trickster's code," Fred said, as if that were an explanation. Severus would wait them out, eyebrow raised.

"There's a passage under the one-eyed witch statue on the third floor," George blurted.

"It leads to the basement of Honeydukes," Fred jumped in. "And we've never stolen from Honeydukes, I swear. We're not _thieves_. Just trickesters."

"We've no reason to think Black might know about it, but when he got in, even past the dementors, we thought maybe he could have, and we had to tell you."

"We should have thought of it earlier, really," Fred added.

"Didn't think about it until someone mentioned quidditch at breakfast," George said.

"Quidditch?" Severus didn't follow the connection there.

"Hypothetical post-quidditch victory parties with theoretical butterbeer and other potentially smuggled but legally paid for items," Fred maintained. _Ah_.

Before him were perhaps the two greatest minds to have attended the school in decades. Others would be more obviously intelligent, yes, but with no greater potential. It didn't surprise him that they knew secrets of the castle that he didn't know with decades of living in it. What would have shocked him even a year ago was that they would under any conditions tell anyone else those secrets, particularly _him_.

He would need to see that the passage was completely blocked, if not entirely destroyed that day. A potential escape from the castle had its appeal, but not with the fear that an enemy could know of it, "And you brought this to me instead of the headmaster or your Head of House?" Severus couldn't help but question. Why were Gryffindors always coming to _him_?

The boys looked at each other, silently conferring. "Because he's after Harry, isn't he?" Fred answered.

Severus's throat was uncomfortably tight.

"And perhaps hope that the information would override any concerns of recrimination." A more sophisticated plan than Severus would have expected from Weasleys not long ago.

Severus raised an eyebrow. "Then I shall instead simply ask if there is anything else I should know."

The boys looked at each other again.

"Maybe," George led with. "There's something under the Whomping Willow too, that could be the start of a passage, but we haven't been able to explore it. Can't imagine anyone barmy enough to to take on that tree."

The lump in Severus's throat must almost have prevented him from breathing. Could _he_ have prevented all of this? Of course there was a way inside of Hogwarts grounds without going past the gates. Hadn't he discussed it with Dora just days ago? He, Lupin, and Albus all know of that passage, and yet none of them had thought… And of course _Black_ knew the damned path. One of his friends traversed it monthly. Severus wanted to string up and beat the wolf as Filch always threatened them as children. But he was no less guilty himself. How had he _missed_ that?

 _No_. Berating himself solved nothing. No one was hurt. Harry was fine. He did not even appear to be emotionally distraught. The passage inside Hogwarts had to be dealt with immediately, in case Black knew of that one as well. It was the greater threat as it led directly inside castle. For the shack… he _did_ need to catch the man, not simply bar him from entry. An elaborate system of traps and detection spells for anyone who set foot in the place... perhaps. Merlin protect any student foolish enough to break in and land in his trap.

The boys were standing nervously in front of him, awaiting their judgment.

"Thank you," Severus managed, and the boys wore small smiles.

"Class is cancelled. Write it on the board and inform your classmates." Any reasonable student wouldn't believe the Weasley twins, of course, but that really wasn't his concern, Severus thought as he headed back to Albus's office.

They had plans to make.

*****Harry*****

Harry spent the next nights sleeping in his room in the dungeons. He could have a normal enough day until curfew, though he wasn't supposed to "roam the halls" he didn't really do that anyway.

With their first quidditch match approaching on top of the fear from Sirius Black's attempted break in, tensions were high in the changing rooms. Harry didn't let it get to him too much.

Oliver would take Harry aside and give him some advice that he had read or thought about sometimes, but mostly Oliver just let Harry and Ginny practice on their own. Harry enjoyed it. Instructing Ginny on some techniques and seeing her fly made him realize some things that he needed to watch out for himself. And except the few times a practice when Ginny drifted to watching the chaser drills, she was really good to play against. When they were practicing with Ginny seeking, and Harry trying to stop her from catching it, she was really tough to defeat consistently.

"Out!" Harry whirled around to see what Oliver was yelling about.

"What?" _McLaggen_.

"Everyone in!" Oliver yelled, but all of the team had been making their way there already. Harry noticed that Ginny gripped their practice snitch. He'd let himself get distracted. "You're not the _captain_ , McLaggen. You're not the keeper. And now, you're not on our team. Anyone object?" Oliver hardly paused, but no one would have objected anyway, "Weasley, work the chaser drills starting today, alright? Sorry to leave you on your own, Harry. We'll call in Creevey starting tomorrow. No team decision made, but we'll see how he could be as a seeker for practice if Weasley wants to keep the chaser reserve spot. Or splitting time."

"Creevey!" McLaggen shouted. "You'd push me aside for that little nothing?"

"Team work and devoted practice are what a reserve team is meant for. You have neither. Get out of my sight, McLaggen! I shouldn't have let you on this team in the first place. I was wrong to think that your love for the game would outweigh your personality."

"You'll be begging to have me back before the first game!" McLaggen yelled back as he started for the grounds.

"Fat chance!" Angelina yelled.

"And I _didn't_ have too much homework, and I _did_ want to go to Hogsmeade. I just didn't want to go with _you_!" came the shrill scream of Katie Bell. Harry had never before heard her so much as raise her voice.

Angelina and Alicia were wrapping the younger girl in a mid-air hug. "He's been trying to get her spot on the team and trying to get her to get her to go out with him at the same time, the prat!" Alicia spat.

*****Severus*****

Dora snatched the potions journal from his hands. She was often content just to sit with him, but evidently not at the moment.

"Haven't seen you in days, and I want a kiss and your undivided attention," Dora pouted. Indeed, he hadn't seen her since she had spent a night in his bed… without _him_ of course...

Her kisses were wonderful, better than the finest wine or the most comforting wizarding chocolate.

"How have you been? Any leads on Black?" Severus asked and winced, "Feel free not to answer that for a moment if nothing is pressing."

"No leads," Dora answered simply. "How about you and Harry?"

"I have enjoyed having him with me each night, but bothered by the reason behind it. He will be here at curfew," Severus mentioned as the witch crawled onto her lap. Why did he mention that? To give warning?

"Good. And the fake horcrux? I never really heard the story there."

Severus summoned the locket to him, as standing was too much trouble at the moment.

"Inside was a note from Regulus Black," Severus explained as gently as possible. "It is possible that something can be found in the Black Ancestral home. So, unless your mother knows how to gain access, we need to speak to Black after he is captured, which means it is imperative that he is not killed or kissed on sight, or we cannot insure preventing Riddle's return." It was a lot to ask for when she was a very junior member of the team.

She nodded but seemed focused on the note.

"I- never knew much about Regulus. I guess I… feel bad for him now. He turned alright in the end. Wish he'd gone to Dumbledore or someone though," Dora said. Severus knew that wasn't likely. Slytherins did not have a large inclination to trust outside of their house, or really even inside the house on anything that wasn't putting forth a united façade to the other houses. It was a mark of Severus's desperation that he ever came to Albus Dumbledore those years ago.

"And Black will get his trial like- damn it, he won't, will he?"

"For escaping from Azkaban? It seems unlikely as he was never given a trial for murder," Severus admitted. It wasn't right. All of the other evil bastards received trials. Even Bellatrix. It resonated especially poorly because Severus might himself still be in prison if not for his trial. Did it matter that this was different? That Black was clearly guilty and admitted it himself?

"I'll do my best," Dora agreed, worrying her lip in that most unconsciously attractive way.

*****Harry*****

Colin did fine in his first couple of practices. He wasn't Ginny, but it did make Harry reevaluate beginner techniques that Ginny had already known and Harry- couldn't remember ever needing to be told. It was still better than practicing by himself, and apparently Ginny had been giving Colin a lot of help outside of practice. And the smaller boy was definitely determined enough.

"We're ready," Oliver announced at the end of their last practice before the game. "Ginny, I want you suited up on the bench. Because of your flexibility of positions and how you have excelled in chaser practice, you are first alternate. Dean, be aware from the stands if something happens and Ginny has to go in," Harry caught a look at Dean and thought he was a little upset at not being the first alternate without Cormac on the team, but he didn't say anything. "Or if one of the twins... just be ready just in case. Colin, we're glad to have you with us. And Lee, we count on hearing your announcing every game, giving all of us warnings, especially the twins, and Harry updates on the score so he can just focus on the snitch. I don't need to tell you again, Harry, that we would love a quick snitch catch for this one. But chasers, you're better than you were last year, better than their chaser line."

"We know," Angelina smiled back.

"Get a good night's sleep, breakfast in the morning, but not too much, and be prepared for anything. The Prophet says we'll have a light drizzle, but it's about as reliable as Trelawney," and Harry was glad that practice could end in a laugh.

 **A/N: Let me know what you think! I am devoting this month to intense writing, so I hope that goes well. Thank you for the encouragement that keeps me going.**


	47. Chapter 47 Flying Storms

Chapter 46- Flying Storms

*****Harry*****

The weather on the day of their first game of the season were the worst Harry had ever flown through. He would never have guessed from looking at the skies that it was only mid-morning. Harry wouldn't have to be reminded today that a quick catch would be best for everyone.

Once they left the protection of the changing rooms, Harry could hardly even hear his teammates speaking. He was drenched almost instantly, and squinted up at the sky. He was glad he didn't have to wear glasses anymore.

In the air after the game started, it was no better. He had to focus too much on not getting caught up in the movements of the other players and the bludgers. He wasn't sure the beaters were all attacking and defending the right teams all the time. Harry couldn't even tell the difference between Higgins and the other players in green. But if he went too high above the rest of the action, as was usual, he might have an even harder time catching the snitch.

Harry couldn't really even hear Lee's announcing, and the older Gryffindor boy was always the loudest thing going on. Lighting flashed close enough that Harry heard the thunder almost as soon as he saw the light. Wasn't there a way you could tell how close the storm was like that? Should they really be up in the _air_?

But then there it was, the snitch! And no one else was around. An easy catch.

But why did he feel… even colder now? _No_ …

" _Stand aside, you silly girl. Stand aside now_!"* came the most fearsome voice Harry had heard. But familiar.

" _Not Harry, please no, take me, kill me instead_ ,"* the female voice begged.

Where was she? No. She wasn't there it was dementors, and Harry didn't know the spell to fight them.

"Not Harry! Please, have mercy. Have mercy!"*

Laughing.

Screaming.

Falling.

Who was falling? And then he wasn't falling as much as floating. There were bright white lights surrounding him, and it didn't feel quite as scary anymore to surrender to the darkness.

*****Draco*****

Draco felt the sickening cold, the doubts and fears, disapproval. Just like on the train. Dementors. He needed to fly far, far away and he could get away. Then he noticed a small, red robed figure falling from above him, but not falling as fast as he should have been.

 _Harry_.

Draco dove down to the ground, past Harry, and watched as his friend slowly lowered to the ground. The other boy was unconscious, but it couldn't have been from the fall. Uncle Severus would have gotten him quickly of course. Draco knew the man had his wand at the ready whenever Harry was competing.

Screams filled the stands, but Draco hardly noticed. He couldn't have made noise if he wanted to. White shapes, anti-shadows, he called them to himself in the moment, came from the teachers' stands. Patronuses, his mind supplied him. When a bright white bird came near him, he started to feel better. Two teams of players were landing around them, the Gryffindors crowding where he stood next to Harry. Then Uncle Severus was there too, and Draco couldn't help but notice how… crumpled he looked drenched in rain like the rest of them. The teachers' stands were always dry.

Draco could see that Harry was screaming something, but couldn't hear what. He was talking to Uncle Severus and the Gryffindor team. _He was okay_.

Draco walked resolutely to his captain, Adrian Pucey, and started to speak.

The older boy shook his head and cast a spell that Draco didn't catch, but suddenly the rain and storm around them was dim.

"We should try to call at end to the match," Draco said, glad that he could hear himself. "Accept only being down sixty and make it up in our next two games," Draco said.

"What? Why?" the older boy asked, "Either Potter won't be at his best, or they'll have to play without him. It's our best chance."

Draco shook his head, "Potter could beat Higgins even if he was only half conscious. And if he didn't play, Weasley could too," Draco found himself saying. He was too tired for the Slytherin subtleties that he was raised with. He _wasn't_ raised to do anything when he was bitterly cold and so soaked his slightly shaking fingers were pruned.

"What?" Adrian hissed. "Is the Weasley girl their reserve seeker? I thought she was a chaser?"

"I don't know. But we're not going to win out there today, so I think you should either do the smart thing and get Wood to agree to call the game as it is, or challenge them to another match another time, when we aren't fighting nature and monsters and we have time to devise some other tactics. Their chaser line is much better than the last time we played."

Pucey looked at him closely. The older Slytherin boy was good enough at what he did. A solid chaser. A decent captain. Not one who held aspirations for the game after leaving Hogwarts. The ones who did acted differently. He ran the team cleanly and didn't encouraging practicing fouls the way Flint had. But fouls were part of the game with situational benefits and prescribed penalties, and Flint was a notable strategist outside of his views on fouls.

"Your judgement isn't strained by worry for your friend?" Pucey challenged quietly.

 _What?_ "No," Draco responded coolly. "I knew coming into this game that we would be lucky to leave with a two hundred point deficit to the Gryffindors. If their captain is foolish enough or cedes to pressure to let the game end, and I think he might, it is the most likely path to another Slytherin Quidditch Cup victory."

Pucey hesitated for only a moment, "Perhaps I will speak to Wood."

Draco turned to watch, wishing that he were somewhere warm and dry, which even the Slytherin common room didn't really fit, any more than his room at home. The captains only spoke for a minute, the Gryffindor captain looking at his team members but especially Harry, who was still arguing with his father from the looks of things. The two captains clasped hands, and Draco knew that he could at least look forward to being dry soon.

Draco took the chocolate that the shabby defense professor was handing to all of the assembled players. Draco's mother always said that good wizarding chocolate healed a multitude of infirmities, but the defense teacher just carried large bars of the stuff around with him all the time?

Draco began walking back to the castle, no desire to go back to retrieve his school robes or leave his quidditch uniform. In his dorm he had more robes than he kept count of.

"Hey!" a loud voice called him. The little Weasley was following him. Or maybe they were just walking in the same direction.

"Me?" he asked tiredly. This girl was keeping him longer in the rain. Surely she wanted to go inside as badly as he did.

She got so close to him that he'd be able to hear without her shouting, "I heard what you said about me. Why?"

"Maybe I just wanted to go inside where there's no rain or soul sucking monsters," Draco let out. He took a bite of the chocolate he held, and he _did_ feel better almost instantly.

"No, why were you _spying_ on me? Were you watching Gryffindor practice? We watch out for _snakes_ when we fly." Why did she care now? Was she upset that she hadn't gotten the chance to play in the game? Shouldn't she be worried about Harry? Didn't she have enough bad memories of her own to wish to be far away from the dementors? She did, he knew, from whatever exactly happened to her in the Chamber of Secrets at the end of last term. That his father was responsible for. Draco shifted his feet uncomfortably. She wasn't even holding any chocolate, and he didn't think she had had any.

Draco didn't feel like matching her aggression anymore, "I just saw you and _camera boy_ using a practice snitch. I don't have some big plot." He'd seen them on multiple occasions really, but he wasn't going to say it. She evidently wasn't as observant as she thought. Grudgingly he broke off most of the chocolate except where he had bitten and handed it to the small, shivering, defiant young witch.

Draco was half surprised when she accepted the chocolate from him and took a bite, "Well… you didn't have to spy on us," she repeated herself.

"I wasn't reporting to anyone, so I wasn't _spying_ ," Draco turned to resume his walk to the castle. The little Weasley could think whatever she wanted and it wouldn't hurt him.

"Well, it wouldn't be spying if you joined us," the girl blurted out. That made Draco stop and turn around again.

"Maybe I will." The younger girl was blushing brightly, a famous Weasley trait. But it didn't look garish like it did on her brothers. It almost looked… cute. Draco didn't have anything else to say, so he started walking again. She wasn't following him anymore, and he fell into the mass of students hurrying into the castle.

*****Harry*****

Harry had been dragged off the quidditch pitch and forced to go to the hospital wing even though he was perfectly fine, at least mostly. It was just those dementor things, nothing he needed to go to the hospital wing for.

"I'm _fine_ ," Harry insisted for what must have been the hundredth time. It was all embarrassing enough. "You didn't have to end the match," Harry said, looking at Oliver.

"Bad weather, possibly down our best player. It didn't seem worth risking when we already had a win in front of us. Not- that I don't trust you, Ginny," Oliver told the small girl.

"It's fine," Ginny brushed off, which actually surprised Harry for the competitive girl.

Harry remembered how Ginny had been affected by the first dementor they had encountered. So small and curled up, hugging her knees in the corner of the compartment. She probably hadn't felt much more ready than Harry had to go up in the air. But Harry still would have done it, and he was sure she would have too.

"A wise decision," Harry's father commented. Harry wouldn't have been able to go back up with his dad around no matter what Oliver had decided.

Hermione and Ron arrived, faces red, and Ron was carrying something in a big bag. The area was getting pretty crowded with Harry, his dad, and an entire quidditch team plus Ginny from the reserves, all still in quidditch uniforms clutching their broomsticks.

"Hey, who grabbed my broom?" Harry asked, realizing that he didn't have his Nimbus with him.

The quidditch team looked around at each other but not at him. Ron shoved his way forward, dragging Hermione along.

"See, when you fell..." Ron started, "The winds were blowing really strong and… carried it away into that big tree that moves… the Whomping Willow and…" Ron opened the cloth he was carrying to show large splinters of wood and a few bits of tail straw. "We asked Professor Flitwick to summon what he could, and we got some of the bigger pieces. Thought you might want them." Ron knew a bit of how much Harry appreciated his broomstick.

"Thank you. You didn't have to do that," Harry said, thinking of Ron and Hermione staying out longer in that awful storm near the vicious tree to collect pieces of his broom that he had gotten broken. Especially when Hermione didn't even care about quidditch. "And it's- alright. I mean, I'm so sorry, Father, and I didn't mean to not take care of it. But… at least I can still use my spare broom," Harry said, trying to cover his disappointment. That broom had been one of the very firsts gift his father had given him- that anyone he could remember had given him really, after Hagrid.

"Nonsense. Your Head of House is not responsible for providing you a broom. I will get another. The members of the Slytherin team speak highly of the Nimbus 2001. Perhaps… it was time to get you a new broom anyway."

"Wow, really?" So he wasn't mad that Harry had gotten his gift broken. And Draco did talk about the way he liked his broom.

"Of course," Harry's father replied.

"Thank you, Father," Harry told him, and Harry didn't miss the brief smile.

"That's great, Harry!" Oliver chimed in. "A Nimbus 2001, a truly wonderful broom."

Harry's father raised an eyebrow, "If Madame Pomfrey clears you for leaving, you can return to your dormitory if you wish. Milly has agreed to forgo her daytime duties and remain in the Gryffindor Common Room through the night until we are more comfortable. Is that an acceptable compromise that I trust no Gryffindors will object to?" Harry's dad looked to the others in the common room, especially at Oliver, the most senior of the students present.

"Of course, sir," Harry agreed.

"More than fair, sir. We will all be glad to have Harry back with us," Oliver aid. "I think your trust will make everyone feel safer."

"There is no reason not to be vigilant," Harry's father nearly growled.

Harry was glad he'd get to go back to the dorm with the normal students, and thankfully Madame Pomfrey allowed him to leave. He didn't like everyone focusing on how he'd passed out when no one else in the whole pitch had, and it wasn't like he had fallen hard.

"I wasn't going to argue with Professor Snape, but Harry, who's Milly?" Hermione asked as all of the Gryffindors walked back to the tower.

"She's one of the Hogwarts house elves that helps my dad and me a lot, especially in the summer," Harry said. He hadn't realized that Hermione hadn't met Milly yet. He was pretty sure that Ron had.

Hermione stopped walking, "House elves? The castle has _house elves?_ I've read about them, and they seem to be horribly subjugated. _Hogwarts, A History_ doesn't mention anything about Hogwarts having house elves," Hermione protested. "Why does the castle need house elves?"

Harry looked over at Ron, who shook his head at Harry and didn't say anything. Some of the quidditch team kept walking, and Harry thought they might have even started moving faster.

"Well… they make the food and clean, mostly," Harry explained.

"Yeah, you should visit the kitchen's sometime. They love to be helpful," Fred told her. "Who did you think did all the real work around here?" Harry and Ron looked at each other again. Harry was feeling pretty jealous of Oliver and the quidditch girls now, almost out of sight ahead of them. Ginny was even scurrying to keep up with the older students.

"I- thought surely there much be complex spells in place, enchanted cooking instruments… some few witches or wizards to look over it…" Hermione trailed off. If it were anyone else, Harry would be surprised she thought of those things at all.

"Too much work for all that. And you know wizards," George piped up, "We can't even wipe our bums without help."

"Hey, speak for yourself!" Fred replied, " _I've_ wiped my own bum for as long as I can remember. Except for the enchanted toilet paper experiment, but that idea was scrapped in early development."

"But having magical _slaves_?" Hermione insisted, completely taken aback by the idea. Harry remembered it seeming terrible at first, especially with all the work he had done for the Dursleys but… Milly seemed to really like her job. He hoped she didn't mind just being a guard all night. Harry supposed she would enjoy cleaning the common room, and maybe she'd find something she enjoyed in the time to herself. Harry had the idea that Hermione wasn't going to be so easy to let this one drop.

*****Severus*****

"Out! I want them out," Severus seethed. "I won't stand for it, and if Black were to return, he'd use the passage under the damn tree, and then we'd have him. But those monsters are more of a danger than help and you know it!"

"I will see what I can do, Severus," Albus promised wearily.

"You'll have to do better. The creatures have nothing to feed off of, and they were bound to eventually infringe on the castle or the town. The quidditch game was too much of a temptation. I'm _not_ leaving these grounds until it's resolved, and I dearly wish to bar Harry from leaving the castle entirely. There are other ways to catch a man than with the monsters that couldn't stop his escape to begin with, Albus."

"Yes, and I will now pursue those paths, Severus. I did not expect you to demand any less," the headmaster informed him. _Good_.

"I am glad we agree. I expect to hear resolution from you before the end of the week," Severus said, already heading for the door. Albus could deal with the politics of it all. Severus had too much to worry about, and Harry had been so quiet in the last days. Severus hoped that he would enjoy more time with his friends. And the boy _did_ have to leave the castle for Herbology class at least. And would he really have the heart to bar the child from seeing Hagrid? He would need to think of alternatives.

*****Severus*****

Severus restrained a sigh as Adrian Pucey walked into his office. If the boy wanted to challenge Gryffindor to a rematch, he'd back his quidditch captain, though largely because he doubted the effort would succeed, and only if the theoretical game took place after the removal of the dementors.

When the teenage placed his captain's badge on Severus's desk before speaking, Severus was increasingly annoyed. What childish protest was this? Both captains had agreed to call the game as it stood, an unusual final score, but to the best of his knowledge, no quidditch game had ever taken place during an assault by dementors either. Severus still shivered uncomfortably at the memory, the dank misery and seeing his son plummet from dozens of meters up. If Severus hadn't been so vigilant...

"Yes?" Severus prompted, already ready for the boy to leave his presence.

"You should make Malfoy captain," Adrian Pucey told him.

"Are your giving your resignation?" Severus asked.

"As captain, yes, if Malfoy will take it. But I am not resigning from the team."

That was an interesting move for a young Slytherin, ceding an honor to a younger, less experienced boy. "And your reasons?" Severus asked.

"I just try to get a ball through a hoop. I'm probably not even as good at it as Montague, and Montague just got on the team and isn't…" the boy was trying not to say that Montague was as intelligent as other houses always thought Marcus Flint to be. "Malfoy has a mind for strategic planning, and I trust his judgement. I admit… I thought it had to be a mistake to take an unproven second year to the team, but he has become a great asset in his own right. The Gryffindors are skilled, and if we have any chance at the cup again this year, it will be from Malfoy's decisions. It will also allow me more time to focus on my OWLs, which I know is where my future resides." All of this was open, overt, Gryffindorish. Perhaps even of Hufflepuff. What was his house becoming? Where was the fear and the power struggle? But perhaps Pucey had always been a bit softer.

"Thank you, Mr. Pucey. If that is all, I will inform Mr. Malfoy."

"That's all, sir. Thank you."

*****Harry*****

"Are you okay, Neville?" Harry asked as the boy approached the table where Harry, Hermione, and Ron were sitting. He had been joining them for studying most evenings but hadn't been there yet that day. Harry had been thinking about how nice it was that he didn't have to watch the time and floo back to the dungeons before curfew.

"Just tired, but I'm great now! I just got out of detention with Filch because I was caught out of bed last night-"

"Why were you out after curfew?" Hermione interrupted, "Sorry, go on." But Harry was curious too. He couldn't remember Neville ever being in trouble, except for forgetting some homework, or losing it.

"I got stuck out there last night until Filch came because I forgot the password, because Sir Cadogan keeps _changing_ it. As if I didn't have enough trouble remembering them already." Harry had to agree. He had only been able to sleep one night in the tower again, and he was already sick of Sir Cadogan. The portrait liked to challenge everyone to a joust, and sometimes he'd even leave his portrait to chase someone down, and no one could get into the common room until he got back. On top of that, he'd change the password multiple times a day, and Harry wasn't even sure how the new password spread around, but surely Professor McGonagall or the prefects would stop it.

"But this time," Neville continued happily. "I remembered the password, and since he'd gotten me into trouble, I convinced him that he needed to tell me all the passwords he had come up with to use next, and I wrote them down. So for the next week I won't have to worry about remembering the password. Want to see them?" he asked, holding out the paper still clutched in his hands.

"Neville, you can't do that," Hermione gasped.

"What? Why? I'm sick of him changing the password on us."

"Neville, what if you lose this paper?" Hermione demanded.

"I- won't," Neville said, deflated a bit.

"Neville, you lose things nearly every day! This is a serious breach in security. You have to let me destroy that right now," Hermione said.

"I- don't you think that's overreacting?" he asked, looking at Harry and Ron. Harry thought about how much his dad would yell if he knew that someone was risking Harry's safety like that, even if probably nothing would happen.

"Nah, mate, I 'magine she's right," Ron answered first. "You'll just have to hang out with us more. What were you doing out late alone anyway?"

"Visiting the greenhouses," Neville replied.

"Ah. Well, sounds like something Hermione might like," Ron suggested.

"I'm a little busy but… I could go with you sometime," Hermione conceded.

"Hey," Harry had a thought. "If it gets to be curfew, then you can just call for Milly, and she'll be here guarding the door. She's one of the house elves, and I know her really well. I'll tell her you might need help. She'll be able to tell you're a Gryffindor student, not someone in disguise, and she'll get you in."

"Really?" Neville asked. Hermione didn't look as pleased at this piece of the solution, but she didn't object.

"I'm sorry Neville, but can I have that paper now? I'm- sorry for what I said before," Hermione asked as gently as she could after scolding him.

"Yeah, I know," Neville sighed.

Hermione grabbed the page and read it once before swiftly walking to the fireplace in front of him and depositing it in the flames. All fours students watched as it curled and blackened into nothing. Harry did feel back for Neville, but he was glad that his dad hadn't had to find out. Harry loved that he had another room that was just his in the dungeons, but he didn't want to never be able to visit Gryffindor Tower again.

 **Fun side note: So, I have done a bit of research on Marcus Flint, to confirm what I remembered of him. He was originally introduced as a sixth year, in Harry's first year, but was still at the school in Harry's third year. When Rowling was asked about this she said something to the effect of she liked to think he had to repeat a year. However, fans persisted and called such continuity errors 'flints'. Also, the most convincing evidence by far that this was in fact an error: in later editions, Flint was changed to being a fifth year in book one, so he would graduate after Harry's third year without ever being made to repeat. I borrowed a recent edition to confirm that this is true. To be clear, my Marcus was a sixth year in Harry's first year and did not need to repeat a year, so he has now graduated.**

 **Please review and let me know what you thought of the chapter. Over 200,000 words now. And well over 1,000 followers, which delights me to no end. Thank you for sticking with me. I see the end in sight!**


	48. Chapter 48 SPEW Badgering

Chapter 47- SPEW Badgering

*****Severus*****

"Don't you ever just wish to simply send bad news by owl and save me the walk?" Severus snapped. Could the man pleasantly surprise him with unequivocally _good_ news for once? Severus couldn't possibly tolerate what Albus was telling him.

The dementors _weren't_ leaving? They had endangered a school full of students, particularly his _son_ and they _weren't leaving?_

"Ah yes, but that would deprive you the satisfaction of shouting at me in person. This is better for morale, I think," the old man said, but he looked far from his jovial self. The man's eyes were still, his smile not reaching those eyes. Albus Dumbledore didn't appear to be any happier about the dementors' continued stationing than Severus did.

"There's nothing you can do?" Severus asked, though it seemed pointless.

"Unfortunately, Cornelius has taken upon himself to be more independent since the few weeks after Sirius Black's escape. I believe he was embarrassed for turning to me in a time of crisis and would like to reassert himself. I do not have official sway over Hogsmeade or any of the land directly outside of Hogwarts grounds."

"Fine," Severus snapped. "Then I will be forced to explore other options to protect my son," and he walked out of the room. He wished his confident exit was more than bravado. What was he supposed to do? Tell the boy that he couldn't go outside? Was inside the castle even safer? Avoid all large groups? Quidditch was the child's favorite thing in the world. Could he take that away from his son? Weren't parents supposed to enrich their children's lives rather than becoming their prison guard?

*****Harry*****

Hermione was... a little on edge. She seemed intent on starting this new big thing even when she was already over worked with so many classes.

It got worse when she brought out badges she made.

"Er- Hermione, what are these for?" Harry asked. He didn't even comment on how "spew" sounded like it would be something impolite.

"For the Society for the Promotion of Elvish Welfare. S-P-E-W. I've just founded it to stand against the gross inequality in treatment of magical beings," Hermione explained.

"Hermione, really?" Ron asked. Harry might have winced.

" _Yes_ , Ron. It's something I feel passionate about. Something I hoped my _friends_ could join me with.

Ron opened his mouth twice before speaking, "Er- yeah. Of course. What can we do?"

"To begin with, give me two sickles each for the badge and membership fee, to fund our efforts. Actually give them to Ron because he'll be our treasurer. And Harry, you're our secretary, because your penmanship is better than Ron's, and I will be the founder and chairperson." It seemed a little early to Harry to have official titles, but he wasn't going to say anything about it.

"Great," Ron said, though he sounded as excited as Harry.

"Yes, great. I have a collections box for you already. I'll go get it," Hermione declared.

"Couldn't she have at least picked a better name?" Ron whispered to Harry as Hermione walked away.

"I heard that!" Hermione called back.

"Damn. She's just a bit mental," Ron still whispered, even though Hermione had gone up the girls' staircase and out of sight.

Despite Harry and Ron not really doing anything to help her, Hermione was undaunted. Neville was her most attentive follower, wearing the pin all the time and listening to her rants. Harry was pretty sure that the Longbottoms had a house elf and that Neville wasn't _actually_ against it, but Harry wasn't going to rat on the other boy. Hermione badgered a few more students into giving her the two sickles (though Harry suspected most of them were just to convince Hermione to leave them alone), including Fred Weasley, though Harry hadn't seen him wear it. George was outright avoiding her. Harry was just glad that he hadn't had to actually do anything as secretary.

*****Severus*****

Harry was looking at him so expectantly. Happy as if he hadn't just been subjected to his worst fears and plummeted from his broomstick less than two days before. And now Severus had to relay more devastating news.

"For the time being, the Ministry has deemed it necessary for the dementors to remain outside of Hogwarts, forcing us to consider other methods to keep you safe."

"Can you teach me to cast a patronus charm?" Harry asked eagerly. The boy was unflappable.

"Yes, that is one of the precautions I was referring to. However, it is a very difficult spell, and even complete mastery of it should not make you over confident enough to ignore other measures."

"Like what?" Harry asked.

"In some ways similar to protections against Black. Minimizing time outside the castle walls whenever possible, and attempting to stay with a professor who is proficient with the patronus charm. Avoiding large crowds, though other arrangements will have to be made during quidditch games," Severus allowed. He would make sure it was safe. "And we will floo to Hogsmeade for your next Hogsmeade weekend, and I will be there."

"Great. Can we have our first patronus lesson now then?" Harry asked excitedly. The boy was fearless.

"Yes, I suppose we shall," Severus began, pulling on the half formulated theory he had pulled together in the hour after leaving the Headmaster's office.

"A patronus is a powerful defensive magic. The incantation, which is usually said aloud, is 'Expecto Patronum" and there is no associated wand movement. Instead, it works best if you are to concentrate hard on a strong happy memory. I can give you books of reference, but that is the basic theory. You must first select a suitably happy memory to focus on," Severus instructed.

"Can you show me?" the child asked eagerly.

"Of course." That was a logical next step. It had been years since he'd cast the spell. No, not so long really. He'd cast it into the wall at King's Cross little more than a year before. And he had known it had worked when the train had still been at the station minutes later. It was strange searching for a happy memory and finding so many to choose from. Recent ones even. Severus quickly selected thoughts of skating around in the back yard at Spinner's End with Harry and Dora. He never would have thought he would have happy memories from that place.

"Expecto Patronum," he said aloud for Harry's benefit and for a bit more force.

He stared and the… _what?_ Severus found himself uncomfortably noticing his own breathing and heartbeat.

Before him, low to the ground, was a… badger. Shuffling around and finding no danger. Looking at him. At the shake of his head, the thing dissipated. A European badger like that of the Hufflepuff traditions.

"Cool!" Harry exclaimed. His voice cracked. That was happening to the boy often lately. Voice changing. Growing up. "Has Tonks seen it? Can I try now?" Harry asked in succession.

"Go ahead, focusing on that happy memory," Severus instructed, ignoring the first question. Harry was eager enough not to notice, the boy's face screwed up in concentration.

"Expecto Patronum," the boy half shouted. He had good instincts. A thick, hazy mist came from the boy's wand. An impressive first attempt. The boy was frowning at it as the white fog faded. "Excellent," Severus praised, instantly drawing a large smile from Harry. "Perhaps that is enough for our first lesson."

"I can do better," Harry shot back quickly.

"I have no doubt that you will soon. However, you have just made a more than admirable first attempt at a very difficult spell, and I do not want you to over exert yourself, understood?" The boy nodded hesitantly. "And Harry? Your new broomstick is in your room," Severus informed the child, which was more than enough to distract Harry from their completed lesson. And Severus enjoyed seeing his son run off with a wide smile.

"Thank you!" the ever-polite boy shouted as he bolted into his bedroom.

*****Severus*****

"So, what's bothering you?" Dora asked, flopping down on his couch.

"What?" Severus asked, trying not to be cross with the witch. His discomfort was really not her problem, and he wasn't being a very good host. Though, she never expected him to be anyone but his unpleasant self.

"It's written all over your face. I don't need Legilimency to see it, but I could remind you that I'm not completely hopeless at Legilimency. Now, spit it out."

"Harry has been- bothered particularly by the dementors. I admit that I dislike them more than most as well-" Severus hesitated.

"I was there for the train and know about the quidditch match, so go on," she instructed him.

"And, the boy asked me to help him protect himself against them. We started talking about the patronus charm, a bit advanced for his age, but he's determined, so I agreed to some extra lessons, as long as they did not detract from his other studies."

" _And_?"

"And I was doing a simple demonstration, and found that my patronus is now a- badger," Severus finished softly.

Dora looked thoughtful, "And before it was?"

"A doe," Severus replied. Feeling like the witch was owed more of an explanation, he sighed, "which was the same as Lily's."

"Oh," Dora exhaled, looking at him like he was an injured kitten. "You can talk about her, you know. It's never been a secret. I mean, she had your son, and when I first met you, her name was the password to your rooms. I'm not offended because you have people who are special to you in your past, Severus."

That was… touching. And he didn't want to give her the wrong impression. "I'm not- regretful of the change in my patronus. It wasn't a- healthy relationship, or any sort of relationship at all after we were fifteen, really. It is just prompting me to turn to introspection, intensified with the new patronus... But a badger? No- offense intended- it would be more suited a Hufflepuff. I just would have thought- that if my patronus changed, it would be more of a reflection of myself than- my relationship."

At this Dora actually smiled, "You think _my_ patronus is a badger," she teased. Severus studied her carefully. That was naturally what he assumed when he saw the animal. She would have had to have learned the spell in auror training. The witch had closed her eyes and drawn her wand, "Expecto Patronum," she incanted. To Severus's surprise, a winged animal came from her wand, settling on the ground. A duck. It looked around, fluttered a bit and stared at Dora. "Nothing around. You can go," Dora talked to the thing like it could hear before it dissipated.

"That is different," he managed.

"I've always been a bit of an odd duck. And I walk a bit funny, though more falling than waddling. But, I think it fits me. And unless I'm very much mistaken, a badger fits _you_ quite well, she said, crawling to the other side of the couch until she perched on his lap. "Fiercely protecting those around you that you care about. I see it all the time, especially with Harry. Badgers can be sly and attack only when necessary, but they are known to take down prey many times their own size when needed. Also, they're cute," she said, running a finger down his nose, "And they have big snouts," she said quickly before kissing lightly the place she had touched.

He twisted a bit and kissed her lips, an impulsive act by his standards.

She kissed him back for several minutes before pulling a bit away. "Feel better then?"

"I always seem to after I talk to you."

*****Hermione*****

"Draco?" First name. Pleasant and personal. He hadn't ever really done anything she should hold against him, so why shouldn't she address him that way? They'd just barely ever talked.

"Granger." Draco replied levelly. _Good enough._

"Yes, well, you are from a prominent wizarding family that has considerable sway in Hogwarts, particularly in Slytherin house, and I am asking you to consider wearing this button to support my cause," Hermione managed, holding up one of the S.P.E.W. buttons she had made. Draco was frowning almost as soon as she was talking so she didn't think it was going well.

"You want me a badge that says "spew" on it? If this is a prank, you're not very good at it if you're wearing one yourself.

Hermione huffed. Why did everyone assume it was an acronym instead of an initialism? She had even put full stops between each capital letter! But… perhaps she should have paid more notice to how it sounded. "It's S-P-E-W, the Society for the Promotion of Elvish Welfare," Hermione corrected.

"I've never heard of it."

"That's because I've just founded it," Hermione explained, trying to sound formal. It was so much easier to talk to adults that other children. An adult would admire her efforts. Well… most would. Probably. But Draco wasn't even looking impressed at all.

"And what do you intend to be the goals of this little club?" he asked.

"Society," Hermione corrected. "And the freedom of all house elves, of course. So that they can earn fair wages under adequate working conditions. Long term plans involve changing restrictive laws around wand usage and proper representation in government. And I intend to start here with Hogwarts, which I have been informed has over one hundred house elves enslaved."

"But the Hogwarts house elves are treated well. Why would you start with them?" Draco pointed out. It made… some degree of sense, but any slave master was a bad one.

"Proximity and being most likely to be listened to, only as a first step of our plans," Hermione admitted, hoping that sounded good enough. 'Our' was a stretch because even the people who had liked her enough to pay her for a badge weren't really interested in her cause, she knew.

"Granger, have you ever even _met_ a house elf? Almost all of them don't want to be free. They'd be horrified of the idea. So instead of trying to free them all, you should just try to make sure they're treated better. That's going to be hard enough, and it's a lot more important. And if they aren't treated well, then maybe a way for them to petition for freedom, or just leave. That would be a worthier goal that I _might_ support. But I won't wear a button that says 'spew.'"

Why did everyone hate her buttons? She had worked hard on those things! "Do you really expect me to believe that you won't even wear a _button_ , but if a house elf were being mistreated by whatever vague standards you have, you'd work to set her free? I don't believe you," she challenged. Not her most adept social handling, she knew, but he was just so… _difficult_.

"I already did," Draco snapped back. "And I don't care what you believe," the boy finished, taking a step backwards, looking around wildly. He shouldn't have said what he had said, she realized.

" _You_ set a house elf free?" Hermione whispered, intrigued.

"I'll deny it if it gets around, so don't let it, Granger. I'm serious," he said, really looking at her. "Will you say anything? Either way, I'm still not going to wear that pin. I can't."

"I won't say anything, but-" she hesitated, thinking it through. He must have set free his family house elf, because it was being mistreated. By his own family. "Have you… talked to anyone about it?" she asked. "Maybe Professor Snape?" He was the obvious choice, as Draco's head of house, and he was Draco's godfather, she'd heard.

"He knows," Draco told her. "And I meant what I said before. Most of them really don't _want_ to be free. Really. You should talk to one. There's loads of them in the kitchen, and they'd hate you if you threatened them with freedom. They'd probably not let any sweets come up where you were sitting."

"I don't eat sweets," Hermione huffed, though it was an exaggeration. She'd had pudding just the night before. "My parents are both dentists. Doctors, muggle teeth healers, basically," Hermione explained, realizing that the names wouldn't be the same in the magical world. Did they _have_ special teeth healers? Did Madame Pomfrey check for cavities and fix them with magic? They didn't fix people's teeth with magic, it seemed. Her teeth were far from perfect, her front two bigger than the others, but they were among the better teeth in her house, because at least they were straight and white. Draco's teeth were straight and white too, she noticed though. And _his_ front teeth weren't abnormally large.

"Yeah, but Weasley would hate sitting next to you if he couldn't have sweets. And somehow I'd hear his complaints too, and I'd rather avoid all that," Draco went on. "And Granger, maybe I would have considered it more if you hadn't just obviously wanted me for my last name. If you're trying to rub elbows with elite, you have to _at least_ be subtle about it."

Hermione didn't have anything to say to that. Had Draco been hurt by her mentioning his family influence. But wasn't he always going on about how powerful his father was? Hermione thought acknowledging his family was the best way to flatter him, but maybe that was wrong. And now that she thought about it, Hermione couldn't remember Draco Malfoy bragging about his father- or really anything else- in quite some time.

She might have trouble sleeping that night, but it wouldn't matter for a while, because she was now planning on another conversation first. One she should have had when the idea for SPEW first occurred to her.

She only had to wait until curfew for Milly the house elf to appear, but the common room was still half full then. The elf stood, facing the door like a tiny sentry. Hermione supposed that was what she was, and far more powerful than she looked. If house elves had so much strong magic, why didn't they just free themselves?

Hermione said goodbye to the boys when they left. She said she just wanted to finish one essay and then she would retire for the evening as well. At least with all of her classes, she had enough work to look busy.

When there were only a few students left in the room, Milly began cleaning the areas where students weren't sitting, but she was still looking frequently at the portrait hole. Magical cleaning was so much faster than muggle cleaning, her parents would be jealous. Couldn't wizards do that too and be fine without house elves? When the last students went up to bed, sixth year boys, she thought, they looked at her for a moment. She supposed it did look strange to see a third year girl awake… well past midnight. But they didn't say anything. People who weren't in her year or Weasleys generally didn't say anything to her, but it was easier that way.

"Milly? Can I talk with you for a bit?" Hermione asked politely when they were the only two left in the room.

"Yes, Miss. What can Milly get for you?" the elf asked in return.

"Nothing. I just wanted you- and the other elves to know that I have started an organization protecting your welfare," Hermione said. She didn't elaborate on the whole spelling because that always seemed to be a stumbling point. Could house elves read?

"Milly doesn't understand. What does Miss wish?"

"To free the house elves so you won't be enslaved. I was… just thinking that to begin with I would make hats and socks and things, and leave them to be gifts for house elves who clean Gryffindor Tower. And then in other places until all of the Hogwarts house elves are free," Hermione laid out her plan, feeling a bit foolish as he said it aloud.

"I is not sure that works, but it would be a _bad_ thing to do, Miss," Milly said, looking at her strangely. Horrified? "That would be making us very unhappy."

"But- but what would you do if you were free?" Hermione pressed. Surely house elves had some aspirations? They… looked a little similar to goblins, and goblins had so much history of working against and alongside wizards.

"If Milly is free, she will ask Master Severus to work for him and Master Harry. He will say yes because he depends on Milly and not trust other elf for protecting Master Harry. And then you is not being able to do anything," the elf said happily. She didn't think Milly liked her very much already… but she was just trying to help!

"So you don't want to work for Hogwarts then?" Hermione surmised. That was a start at least, though the rest of it was troubling.

"I likes working for Hogwarts," Milly said. "I care for Master Harry and Master Severus, and much more because they is not needing much until now. I thinks if Master Severus became master I would still work at the castle, because that is where Master Severus is living."

"But-" Hermione thought through, "But if you want to work for Professor Snape then you should talk to him, and I think he would pay you. And give you vacation time and… a signed work contract instead of slavery!" Professor Snape would do that right? Hermione hoped so.

"House elves is not wanting _paying_. It is as much dishonor as clothes!" Were there no house elves like Lavender Brown who bemoaned the uniform and wanted to wear something different every day?

"But everyone gets paid for their work," Hermione explained. "You deserve it."

"You isn't getting paid for _your_ work," the elf pointed out. Hermione was surprised the elf even knew that but… she supposed house elves probably knew most anything happening in the castle.

"But that's different. My parents are paying for me to be a student here," Hermione began.

" _See!_ " Milly interrupted. "You is even _paying_ to be here, and the house elves is not."

"But it's… it's at least partially so that I can make money in the future. As part of my profession."

"House elves have profession and don't need money. Why would we need money?"

"To… buy things," Hermione floundered.

"Don't need to buy things. Have food and magic. And friends even, all the elves in the castle. And children to care for when they is not having bad idea to free Milly," Milly scolded. "What is I needing to buy?" the elf questioned.

How could someone not want to buy things? Hermione didn't think of herself as very materialistic, but a new book was still a thrill. Or even just the sugar quills that she was becoming so fond of, loathe as she was to admit it. "You could buy whatever you want, Milly. Whatever would make you happy."

"But house elves is _already_ happier than students. Than professors too!" the elf declared triumphantly, confident that she had won. And… Hermione was less sure that she hadn't. If the elves really were happy… it wasn't something Hermione liked to even consider, but if she didn't consider their feelings, then she was far too similar to the worst sort of owners, wasn't she?

"Thank you for talking to me, Milly," Hermione decided to say. "And I won't try to hide clothes for you," she promised. Was freedom real if it wasn't a choice? And Professor Snape would almost certainly say yes to Milly working for him, and then her friend would own a house elf, and that was… not any of her business really, but it would make her more uncomfortable.

"Goodnight," Hermione called, tired from staying up so late. Maybe she could use the time turner to get a few extra hours of sleep just this once. She had been so opposed to the idea at the beginning of term but she was just so tired for so much of the time. Sometimes she thought that the only thing that kept her from turning back a few hours was the problem of where the other her would sleep. And now she could only ponder that maybe Draco was at least partially right.

 **A/N: Thank you for your continued support! House elves are a strange, troubling concept for readers, but Hermione wasn't going the right way about it, so it's good for her to have a broader perspective. I really loved writing this chapter, so I hope you enjoyed it!**


	49. Chapter 49 Teachers and Students

Chapter 49- Teachers and Students

*****Severus*****

The first time Severus was forced to cover Lupin's classes, he noticed nothing amiss. There were only two classes that he was able to teach around his own schedule for the day. Lupin's first years seemed on fine schedule with the course material, and the Slytherin third years were perfectly capable of learning about their small, menacing creature of the week. For the other classes, Albus must have covered them himself or cancelled them, Severus hadn't cared at the time. Perhaps Lupin had felt alive enough to cover his own afternoon classes. The next full moon had fallen on a Saturday, the day before Halloween, and Lupin had been recovered enough by the following Monday.

Now, however, Severus found himself covering the class of sixth year NEWT students. A large part of them came from Slytherin, and Severus wasn't sure if there was a single muggle-raised child among the others in the class either. In his day, there had been at least two sections of NEWT Defense per year, rather than one. Students with magical parents, especially from his house, were supplementing their children's knowledge, he would guess, but it wasn't enough. Some of those _NEWT_ students couldn't perform a more than decent stunning spell or shield charm. Was that on any of the years' curriculums?

Had the OWL examinations in Defense gradually dropped their standards in the last decades? It wouldn't be surprising if that were the case. Each class producing less promising results until the examiners reflected those changes in their scores.

It seemed to Severus that Lupin had covered all of the assigned coursework, so the younger students were not irrevocably behind. But had anyone in years looked back at the knowledge gaps left by decades of inadequate Defense professors? Severus supposed that in his day, Albus wasn't desperate for anyone who would take the class yet, so his rotating cast of professors had been mostly proficient.

So he found himself teaching sixteen and even seventeen-year-olds spells that his thirteen-year-old son had already mastered. Though Harry was advanced for his age, Severus would ordinarily expect more from NEWT students.

Now after their patronus lessons, Severus would assist Harry with incarceration spells and a blasting hex. It wasn't what he hoped the child would need, but he trusted Harry enough not to misuse such a spell, and ignorance was a more likely risk. And the child was picking up quickly everything Severus taught. Severus wouldn't be surprised if the boy had a corporeal patronus sometime over the winter break.

And now on top of everything else he had to do, Severus needed to suggest remedial defense lessons for most of the population of Hogwarts without getting "volunteered" into doing it himself.

*****Harry*****

Harry tried to learn as much as he could from watching the Hufflepuff vs. Ravenclaw match, but mostly, Harry wasn't intimidated by the competition. Harry tried to watch Cedric Diggory especially, because it was the older boy's first match on the regular quidditch team, and he was already the captain. That wasn't how the Gryffindor team worked, and Harry was pretty sure the other teams didn't do things like that either.

What Harry mostly learned from watching Diggory is that he was pretty sure the older boy was interested in Cho Chang. Interested in an asking-to-Hogsmeade sort of way, not a rival quidditch player way. The girl was pretty. Maybe Harry had even noticed that she was really pretty. But she was also a talented and an experienced enough seeker that _she_ found the snitch and caught it when Diggory was just watching her from across the pitch. Not even tailing her until it was too late. Ravenclaw won by one hundred and sixty points.

Harry was also pretty sure most if not all of the chasers on both teams weren't as good as Ginny Weasley, and she was _twelve_ (though she was a talented twelve-year-old). It didn't help that Davies, the Ravenclaw caption, liked to yell at his team a lot.

Harry knew that his father spent the whole game just waiting for dementors to arrive. His father initially only wanted to allow Harry to attend the game if he sat with him in the _teachers' stands_. When the last thing that Harry wanted was that attention and to not sit with his friends.

So they made a compromise: his dad spent the game two rows behind Harry in the Gryffindor stands, with some magic to make him invisible, or unnoticeable or something- Harry didn't worry about the logistics. But the dementors didn't show up anyway, so that was good. Harry had been worried about it too, but he couldn't just _not_ go.

Gryffindor's quidditch practices were going well. Even when she was doing chaser practice most of the time, Ginny still borrowed the Nimbus 2000, because she didn't have a broom of her own, and Harry didn't mention it. Colin was doing pretty well. When Harry rode on a school broom _and_ gave himself a set amount of points for the chasers to get to before he could go after the snitch… Colin was decent competition. Mostly, Harry found that Colin was eager to learn and Harry liked playing at being a teacher.

Harry's own new Nimbus 2001 was great though. Just a little bit faster than his old Nimbus 2000, and yet no harder to control. He could push dives just that little bit further before pulling out of them, reach for the snitch just a little bit sooner. But it was important to rely on his skills as a player, not just the quality of his broom. When Oliver had told him that he might have a future as a professional player… it really made him think more seriously about it all.

Harry hadn't really thought about _any_ career, but he _was_ only thirteen. The first time he considered it was when he was picking electives. He completely understood why Hermione wanted to take all of them. Not taking a certain class would be limiting her career options based on a decision she made before even starting _third year_. Of course, he still thought she could have left off Muggle Studies at _least_.

And then when Tonks talked being an auror sometimes, and about passing her training… it made him consider work like that- being an auror. The department did appreciate that she was a metamorphmagus, and since he was one too, that could help him get in. And his dad always told him that he was good at defensive spells. He was making good progress on his patronus, at least according to his father. Harry hoped that when the term was over, they would both have more time to work on it, and he could really master the patronus charm. He was tired at looking at that white wispy fog.

When McGonagall put up the list to sign for students staying at Hogwarts over the winter break, Harry was the first to sign. Hermione was the second. But Ron hesitated.

"I've got to talk to my parents," Ron said, but wrote his name anyway.

*****Severus*****

"Yes, Mr. Weasley?" Severus asked when it was evident that the boy wished to speak to him after class.

"So, er… I've spent the last two Christmases at Hogwarts because my parents were visiting my brothers. Which was… totally fine and all. I know it was the only time Charlie and Bill could get time off work to spend with them," the boy rambled. Severus wondered if the Weasley boys felt neglected in those instances. He hadn't considered it the time, but it couldn't have helped young Miss Weasley as she was speaking to the diary of Tom Riddle, knowing her parents were spending the holidays with one of their children instead of five of them including herself. Of course, parenting decisions were never so simple, and the younger children did spend all summer with their parents.

The boy was still talking, "But this year, Mum and Dad want us all home. But I… I wondered if students have ever gone home for just a _part_ of break? You know, so I could spend most of the time with Harry and Hermione but a few days with my family?" the boy asked nervously.

Of course the boy would ask _him_.

"Mr. Weasley, are you under the impression that you are a Slytherin?"

"No, sir," but the child was smiling as he looked down. Not afraid of him in the least.

"Then you know that your Head of House is the one to go to for such requests, and in your case, that would be Professor McGonagall rather than myself."

"I was just asking if it had happened before," Ron Weasley reminded him. It was technically true, though most of the time had been spent on context, because the child was an emotional, teenage Gryffindor.

"A question that Professor McGonagall can answer with more relevant information, because it matters very little what I have or have not allowed my students to do in the past, and I do not ordinarily make it a practice to track the actions of children under another Head of House's care."

"I know. But do you think she might say yes?" the boy persisted. "And I wouldn't hold it against you if you were wrong." An interesting statement.

"I believe if you presented your case well, your Head of House would entertain a reasonable request," Severus stated. He had permitted students do such a thing in the past. Sometimes children stay at the castle to spite their parents and then amends are made in the form of overly expensive presents. Or children stay at the castle for a romantic entanglement that fractures under the duress of increased contact in the reduced population of the castle. And frankly, Minerva knew that her little lions spent a lot of time with him, and appeared to be both grateful for it and jealous of it. Severus would be shocked if the old cat didn't do something so simple to make the Weasley boy happy.

"Thanks," the boy said, running out the door waving. The child had wanted reassurance from _Severus Snape_ before facing Minerva McGonagall. He was truly no longer the terror of children.

*****Severus*****

"Dinner is at eight," Dora said as if in greeting for their day watching Harry at Hogsmeade. Severus wished to ensure that this day was less eventful. Harry, and likely his friends as well, would be using his floo into Hogsmeade, and Severus and Dora would… monitor Harry's day discretely. Together. And the next day, the castle would be blissfully empty of most of its students. Only one of his Slytherins was staying, and the boy was a fifth year able to take care of himself.

"After Harry is returned to the castle, we could return to Hogsmeade for supper at eight, if you wish," Severus agreed.

"First, I'll say _yes_ with no take-backs. But I meant on Christmas. With my _parents_. So, we should arrive by seven, half six if you're up for some more mingling- you, me, and Harry. I hope he still wants to go. _You_ don't get a vote, because you can only date a witch so long without meeting her parents.

"I've… met them," Severus said.

"When you were _eleven_ doesn't count. I wasn't even born yet. So _Christmas_ ," Dora said, stepping forward and wrapping arms around his neck. He would swear that she grew a handful of inches as she kissed him.

"Yes, I suppose so," Severus agreed. She wasn't giving him much of a choice, but he liked her later arguments. She could be quite convincing without even speaking.

When Harry trooped in with Ronald Weasley, Hermione Granger, and Neville Longbottom and caught Severus kissing his girlfriend… his face did _not_ turn an unsightly reddish hue. He would have moved away in time if Dora hadn't gripped him so tightly. But perhaps he still liked that she didn't mind getting caught kissing him.

"Off you go," Severus instructed to the adolescents. He intended to have a pleasant day ahead of him, watching Harry and begrudgingly shopping. He had already found Harry's gifts, and he would take the boy shopping sometime over the holidays for gifts for Dora, but he did already have an idea. However, he still needed acceptable gifts to exchange with a few coworkers. Perhaps after all they had been through lately, he would even choose sweets for Albus instead of the customary wine. The old man might die of surprise.

*****Harry*****

When most of the students left for the holidays, Gryffindor Tower was emptier than Harry had ever seen it. Hermione and Ron stayed, but the rest of the Weasley family went home, and the three of them had the entire Tower to themselves. When Harry was telling her that he was feeling guilty for leaving Hermione along on Christmas after Ron went home, Hermione informed him that she was allowed a short trip to visit her parents as well. That was good, and of course it made sense that McGonagall had allowed it. It would be a great break with the three of them in the castle.

But today Harry had other thoughts on his mind. He'd been having patronus lessons with his dad for weeks now, ever since that first quidditch match, and Harry each time managed a fog that that his father said was impressive by itself.

Today, he was going to do it though. Today, he was going to make a fully corporeal patronus. Harry even had a really good memory planned to use that he'd sort of been saving.

"Can we start my lesson now?" Harry asked as soon as he walked through the door. Harry knew that he was early. But Hermione was working on some sort of homework that Harry thought might not be due for a month in the common room, and Ron was still sleeping when he left.

"That is fine," his dad consented, not even looking at a clock. Harry hoped that this lesson would be short anyway.

Harry closed his eyes and breathed deeply. It was the memory of when his dad showed Harry his new room and gave Harry his Nimbus 2000. Harry knew now that there was more to love than gifts, but growing up where he did… it seemed like love worked like that. He and his dad were pretty shaky at first, but that was when Harry thought they had a chance… to be a real family, to have someone who really cared about him.

" _EXPECTO PATRONUM_ " Harry shouted as loudly as he could, eye still squeezed tightly, feeling that that would help.

It felt so right. So warm. But when he opened his eyes, the feeling was gone.

"Did I- do it?" Harry asked, yawning.

"You did," his father replied, perhaps hesitantly.

"What did it look like?" Harry asked excitedly.

"A snake," his dad said. "A large snake. A very impressive result for your age, or any age, to cast a fully corporeal patronus charm."

"Thanks. Since I can do the spell now, I was thinking I could get some real practice next," Harry said eagerly. "Not with a real dementor, maybe, but a boggart? The boggart felt just as bad, I think. So crazy how that works, but it would be good practice, right?" Harry asked.

"Perhaps rest, first, Harry, and practice until you are consistent with the charm to gain further confidence."

"Yeah, but I can do it now. I'm sure I can, now that I know that I can do it," Harry said, confidently. He knew the feel of it.

Thinking of that happy memory again, and the added success of finally casting a patronus, Harry shouted again, " _EXPECTO PATRONUM,_ " this time eyes wide open.

"Wow," Harry whispered, looking at the large, wispy snake in front of him. It was all white, but other than that, it did look a lot like a giant version of Godric. Not quite the same though.

"Very well done, Harry," his father said again.

Like Harry had said, once he knew he could do it, it wasn't as hard the second time. And he knew he could do it whenever he wanted. Maybe not against a dementor yet, or even his boggart, but he would get there. And _then_ maybe dementors wouldn't be his worst fear anymore.

So, maybe he knew enough now to start teaching his friends how to do it. Even if he could face a dementor, what about a lot of them? Or what if his friends got into trouble and he wasn't there? And with that new thought, "Can I go now, Father? Maybe I _do_ need some rest," Harry said, though rest wasn't what he had planned for a while.

But it wouldn't be _dangerous_ just to practice, especially when they wouldn't even leave the common room. Harry couldn't believe he hadn't thought of it earlier. Until Christmas, and then again afterwards, he, Ron, and Hermione had the huge common room all to themselves, and they should make use of it.

"Of course," his father agreed.

Harry hurried up the hallways at least as fast as he had gone down them, leaving him winded but eager as he barreled through the portrait hole.

"Harry, what's wrong?" Hermione asked, concerned.

"I cast a patronus, and I want to teach you too. Both of you," Harry explained between breaths.

"Wicked," Ron agreed, already on his feet.

"And I've learned some other spells too, really useful stuff in a duel, and we have the whole common room to ourselves to practice," Harry explained.

Neither of his friends took any further convincing. A few minutes of moving furniture later, and Harry started with the stunning spell- not hitting one of them of course, just a pillow.

When Ron cast his first stunner, even though it hit the rug instead of the pillow, his friend's grin made Harry think that he should have started this teaching plan sooner, and it was pretty fun.

When they learned the spell a little better, they could aim at Harry, and he could show them protego. It might not have been the order that his dad taught him in, but this seemed more fun, and he'd make sure they were safe. Harry figured they'd work their way up to the patronus charm. And Milly could probably fix any pillows and rugs if Hermione couldn't.

*****Severus*****

Severus sat, sipping a small measure of wine, a pleasure that he rarely afforded himself in recent times. Occasionally a glass with Dora, but less frequently in the past term as she had been busy. Though there were no credible updates on Black, he chose not to dwell on that at the moment.

Even after more than two years, Harry often surprised him. Severus knew by many objective measures that two years wasn't very long in the life of a wizard. Hardly a significant percentage of Severus's own life, even if it was of Harry's. But sometimes it felt that they had always been like this. And _sometimes_ his son did something like have a _snake_ as a patronus. A snake. But then, this was the Gryffindor child who spoke to serpents and named his pet snake _Godric_ , so Severus shouldn't have been surprised.

Severus dearly hoped if Minerva or Albus saw the child perform the spell, he would have the privilege of watching.

 **A/N: This chapter was very hard to write, so I hope you liked it. It covered a fair number of weeks, so I hope it doesn't seem that Harry learned to Patronus too quickly. In canon, he didn't even start lessons until after Christmas, and they were at most once a week, and my Harry has a better background in defense, and a lot more happy memories to pull from. Tell me what you thought!**


	50. Chapter 50 Christmas Visit

Chapter 50- Christmas Visit

*****Harry*****

Since his friends had stayed at school at least partially for him, Harry made sure to spend most of the day with them. And he had as much fun as he ever had helping them with the spells his father had taught him. Harry's patronus was consistent each time, and sticking around longer, he thought. Hermione and Ron were both doing well with stunning and shielding charms, and Hermione had become an expert at pillow repair… and occasionally armchair or sofa repair. Now they were even aiming the spells at each other and starting to learn patronuses.

Christmas Eve, though, he spent in his room in the dungeons so that he could wake up with his father to open presents.

"Good morning, Harry," His dad said from somewhere above him.

"Happy Christmas, Father," Harry responded.

"Happy Christmas," his father agreed.

"Presents aren't until after breakfast. And don't forget your slippers," his father warned. He tried to make rules and be strict, but Harry knew that his dad liked giving Harry gifts even more than Harry liked getting them. And he didn't mind waiting until after breakfast, because Milly always made Christmas or his birthday breakfasts even better than the other days.

Despite the amazing meal, Harry ate more quickly than usual in his excitement, and his father didn't object.

Sitting before a mound of presents just for him, Harry opened the expected ones first. Sweets from the headmaster and treacle fudge from Hagrid. Neither his father nor Harry would say anything when the treacle tart was thrown away. Hagrid meant well. He probably had really strong jaws and thought other food was too soft or something.

A book on quidditch from his Head of House made Harry smile. Harry knew he only got gifts from Professor McGonagall because of his dad, but also she did _really_ want them to win the Quidditch Cup this year. The red jumper with a lion on it from Mrs. Weasley made Harry feel warm, and he also though the mince pie and box of nut brittle looked delicious. Harry saw the same type of box in his father's pile, which made him smile wider.

There was a book on transfiguration from Hermione. He'd mentioned to her months ago that he wanted to be an animagus one day, when they were covering them in Transfiguration class. She would do things like that- remember little details for months, maybe forever, whether it was information for a test or something her friends said. Harry appreciated it.

From Ron, Harry received sweets and joke shop items. Fortunately, the sweets and the dungbombs were both well wrapped separately. Harry wondered how much trouble he'd get in for the dungbombs and was pretty sure it wouldn't be worth it, but it was fun to consider. And they had all enjoyed visiting Zonko's in Hogsmeade, even Hermione, Harry thought.

Last of that pile was the gift that surprised him most, because of who it was from. Neville had gotten him a present. A plant that looked like a small tree. He skimmed over what Neville had written about the plant. Harry had tried to spend more time including Neville in their little group the past term but… he had never gotten the other boy a present before. Should he get Neville something over the break and give it to him when term started? Or wait until Neville's birthday and get him a gift then? Harry would ask his father about it later, when his dad wasn't expecting him to keep opening presents.

Trying not to feel guilty about Neville, Harry turned to the presents from his father, the pile that always appeared after he opened the gifts from everyone else first. Harry looked in the familiar looking pouch first. _More_ pocket money. Harry still wasn't sure what he was supposed to do with it all, other than occasional sweets and trinkets, and Christmas gifts for everyone else. He knew his father didn't want him using the vault his mum and James Potter left him until he was at least of age, but it felt like all this pocket money was really mounting up. And he didn't even need to save up for a broom or anything, because his father provided him that as well. "Thanks!" Harry said anyway, because it was really nice.

Books next. Harry unwrapped an interesting looking defense book that included patronuses and other strong, defensive magics. He'd have to learn them with Ron and Hermione too, once they were caught up. There was also a book on every day magical spells, recommended for muggleborns, and one on magical creatures.

"This one doesn't bite," his father commented lightly.

Finally, Harry grabbed for the last, lumpy package.

Harry looked inside to see a velvety bag of marbles. No, they'd be gobstones, wouldn't they?

"Gobstones," his father confirmed. "Not… as popular as they once were, and more common among children before Hogwarts age, but I thought," he hesitated, "you might wish to learn. My mother enjoyed it greatly, and playing when my father was out of the house were most of the relatively few times we spoke of magic when I was a child," his father looked like he was thinking hard.

 _Something his grandmother liked_. Harry smiled. He'd gotten the idea that gobstones and the people who played them weren't that popular. Exploding snap was more favoured. But Harry never cared too much about that and would definitely want to learn the game his father and grandmother played together. "Thanks. It means a lot," Harry said.

"If I still had her set, I would give it to you. Things that don't seem meaningful at the time get lost in the passing years."

"Thank you," Harry pondered over those words before nervously remembering his own present for his father. Making memories was what mattered, wasn't it?

*****Severus*****

"I have a present for you," Harry said nervously, "I think you'll like it."

"Yes?" Severus asked not seeing a gift anywhere. The boy really didn't need to get him anything, but he had noticed that Harry hadn't brought a visible package with him the evening before.

"So, you know how you could hear the basilisk when you were using the- legimens thing on me, right?"

"Legilimency," Severus corrected automatically, "and yes," he said, unsure of where this was going.

"Can you do it again and look for me talking to Salazar yesterday?"

"I- yes, I could," Severus responded slowly.

"Then you should do it. I think you'll like it. I'm ready," Harry said eagerly. His eyes were shining brighter than Albus's.

"Legilimens," Severus whispered aloud for Harry's benefit.

Severus sifted through Harry's most recent memories and thoughts, but one memory came easily forward, begging to be grasped. The boy had a knack for it, it seemed.

 _"Ssalazar, is there ssomething you'd like to tell my father? Ssomething nice? I think I can show it to him so that he can hear you." It was one of the strangest things Severus had ever heard, his son both speaking English and hissing._

 _"Ssssssthsss. I ssupposse I would like to tell him thank you. For ssssssthssss sso many thingsss. Yearss of things. And I like the bugss. And ssssssthssss, he hass raissed a fine youngling."_

 _"Thankss. Anything elsse?" the child asked eagerly._

 _"SSssthss. I am old and unusssed to your ssentimentality, youngling. He will undersstand, I think sssthsss."_

Severus wiped moisture from his eyes as he came back to his own mind and saw the eager little face in front of him.

"Thank you, Harry. Thank you very much," Severus managed to say.

"And we can do that whenever you want," the boy offered excitedly.

"Thank you, Harry." No one ever expected to have the opportunity to really hear the thoughts of their childhood pet. He was- lucky to still have Salazar and didn't like to think- to admit to such sentimentality, rather like Salazar had just said.

"And- and I can teach you how to say a few things, and I'm going to learn more. I've been practicing just making the sounds and recognizing them, even though I still hear it like it's English when they talk. But, I can make some words on my own, and Salazar and Godric can understand, though they said it sounds better when I just really speak Parseltongue. It's hard to explain."

"That is _remarkable_ , Harry. I'd- love to learn sometime, alright?" He shouldn't be so close to tears from the gesture. It should have occurred to him that such a thing would be possible. After all, he had learned to mimic the sounds for 'open' to enter the Chamber of Secrets on multiple occasions. What did it say about him that he had never even considered trying to learn to talk to Salazar? Perhaps that he never hoped for many good things in his life, even when in recent years, he had so many.

"Now," Severus said, thoughts slightly more collected, "I'm sure you would like to spend some of the day with your friends before we depart to meet the Tonks family?" Yes, worrying about meeting his girlfriend's parents… or at least for the first time since he was a child… was an apt enough distraction. Though perhaps he would also visit Salazar.

*****Harry*****

"Harry!" Ron called before Harry could even see through the portrait hole.

"Yeah?" Harry called back.

"Harry, you've got to see this," Ron said, already running for the staircase. "Come on."

"What'd you get?" Harry asked, glad that Ron was so excited about something he received.

"Not me, _you_!" Ron shouted, already disappeared into their room.

What? Harry thought all of his presents had been downstairs with his father.

"It's definitely a broom," Ron said as Harry say the long, skinny package on his bed. "But you dad already got you a new one. Do you suppose Professor McGonagall didn't know and she got you another? Didn't think she'd do that after last time, and you still have the one from her anyway. But go on and open it!" Ron urged.

Harry looked around for a card on the outside, but there wasn't one. Inside was indeed a broom. More than a normal broom really.

"A _Firebolt_! Wicked, mate. Reckon I could get a ride? After you, of course. Blimey, do you think your dad would mind if you rode it in the games? It can't have been from him, or he'd've given it to you himself."

"But who would… give me a broom? A Firebolt?" Harry asked again dimly.

"Dunno, mate. Probably just a fan."

"A fan?"

"Well, yeah, mate, I mean… I know you don't want the fame and all, but people used to send _Lockheart_ stuff, and you're way better than him."

Harry hovered his hand over it, "I should… bring it to my dad," Harry said. A look over at Ron showed his friend heartbroken. "If there's no curses or anything on it, my dad will let me have it, like he did with my invisibility cloak," Harry said. He was fairly certain it was true. And it wasn't like he really _needed_ a new broom anyway. His new Nimbus 2001 was great in their quidditch practices and the flying with Ron when they both had time for it, which wasn't often with their additional classes.

Ron brightened, "Yeah, you're right," Ron admitted, "Though I'm still going to offer to have a go on it now so if it's cursed, it'll just get me."

"What?!" Harry wouldn't want Ron cursed any more than he would want to be hurt himself. Less even.

"Yeah, yeah. I just had to offer. Need any help getting it to your dad?" Ron asked, still looking at the broom like it was a small, dying animal that Harry had to kill.

"I've got it," Harry said, carefully wrapping the broom back up so that he wouldn't touch it as he brought it back to the dungeons.

"Father?" Harry called minutes later when he stepped into their rooms. He was definitely spending more time running back and forth than he had intended. Harry smiled when his father came quickly out of his potions room. He would bet anything that his father wasn't brewing but was visiting with Salazar, which made Harry happy.

"Yes?" his father asked.

"I- had a package waiting for me upstairs. It's a broomstick. A Firebolt. I didn't touch it in case there's something funny about it," Harry explained quickly, putting the wrapped broomstick on the table in front of the couch.

"No visible card with it?" His father asked, walking around the broom and frowning. Harry shook his head negatively. "Thank you for bringing it to me, Harry," his father said, still looking at the broom, levitating it out of the packaging and then directly back into it. No card was there either.

"Can you make sure there's no jinxes on it or anything?" Harry asked, though realized it sounded foolish. Of course his father would do that.

"It will take considerable time," his father said cautiously, as if he was afraid it would upset Harry.

"That's okay. I figured you'd probably have to take it," Harry said easily. He told himself not to be disappointed even if he never got it back. It wasn't like he _needed_ it.

"Do you understand, Harry? I wouldn't want you to think I was… depriving you of a gift. I will return it to you if it passes inspection from myself and others in the staff. Professional broom makers too, I would think. It shouldn't be too hard to track the purchase of such a thing."

"Yeah, it's fine," Harry said. "I'd maybe be upset if I didn't already have a great broom, but I do so…" Harry didn't want his dad to think that Harry wasn't grateful for everything his dad had given him. "Thanks to you, of course."

Harry's father had a strange expression, "I am very proud, Harry, of how you are handling this, coming to me without endangering yourself. Thank you, Harry."

"Thanks," Harry beamed. His father didn't say things like that lightly. "So… I'm going to go back because we were going to go play outside until Ron and Hermione leave to go see their families, but I'll take Milly with me, and be back here before we are supposed to go to see Tonks? Yeah?"

His father nodded, "If you take Milly and be careful."

"I will," Harry promised, already walking towards the door again. His father would sort out the mysterious broom and Harry wouldn't have to worry about it. Ron would be disappointed, but he'd understand. Hermione would be proud of him for turning it in and maybe also slip in something about how she wasn't sure why everyone made such a fuss over a broom that went a little bit faster. Harry needed to stop Oliver from finding out altogether.

*****Severus*****

Severus had run out of spells to test the broomstick, and so far, nothing had revealed anything. He had to stop himself from just picking up the broom and being done with it, seeing if anything happened to him. But no, he would need to consult Minerva and Filius, contact the seller and manufacturer, and find who had sent his son such a thing. None of which strictly needed to be done on Christmas Day.

He halted his fruitless work with Dora's arrival and briefly explained what he had been doing. By the time he finished, Harry had arrived as well, breathing heavily with overly red cheeks from the cold, but smiling happily.

"Ready to go, kid?" Dora asked Harry. He couldn't delay any longer unless he wanted to give the gift around her parents.

"Aren't we going to give her presents first?" Harry asked. So at least he didn't have to instigate it himself.

"I didn't bring mine, sorry," Dora said, but Harry was already running to get their presents. He handed the small package to his father, and presented the large, misshapen one directly to Dora. Severus would have given him wrapping advice had the boy asked.

"Dad and I went shopping together," Harry explained. He could have left that out. It was difficult to find a meaningful gift year after year. For each Christmas, birthday, and perhaps even anniversary.

"Aww, thank you, Harry," Dora was hugging the stuffed duck toy and Harry tightly.

"Dad told me about your patronus," Harry chattered. "I'd love to see it. You should see mine. It's a great snake, sort of like a bigger Godric. Godric and Salazar think it's pretty cool too," Harry explained. Severus had previously told Dora this, but she hadn't been surprised then either.

"That's great!"

Harry smiled and stepped back, looking at Severus expectantly. Severus stepped forward and handed her his own, smaller and more neatly wrapped present.

"Aww, _Severus_ ," she cooed. His name had never sounded better. She lifted the delicate silver chain with a badger charm on the necklace. It was a simple enough thing to find, with Hogwarts house themed merchandise being widely circulated. He thought it looked the most sophisticated of those he had found though and it did remarkably resemble his patronus. Of course all European badgers looked more or less alike. "I love it," the witch declared. "And I'll think of you whenever I wear it. I think of you more than my house when I see badgers now, you know. Help me put it on?" She asked, handing him the chain again and turning away from him, lifting her beautiful brown hair off her neck to the top of her head along with her new stuffed duck.

Severus was pleased that he was able to get the jewelry on her without making a fool of himself fumbling. He had examined the necklace extensively so he was able to work the thing.

Dora turned back and patted the necklace and squeezed her duck. "Perfect. Ready to meet the other two most important people in my life?" she asked happily.

Dora went through the floo first, then Harry, and finally Severus. Even though Harry had flooed successfully by himself half a dozen times now at least, Severus was still relieved to see his son on the other side. Relieved enough to be distracted until he was shaking Ted Tonk's hand, and then hugged by Andromeda Black- Andromeda Tonks.

Severus handed Ted the bottle of wine he had brought as a courtesy gift for their invitation into their home. He had never been social, but it was something he had seen Lucius Malfoy do on occasion.

Harry was smiling, looking around the house happily, and he caught Dora discretely cast a cleaning charm on the child who always managed to get dirty in the floo, even if both fireplaces were relatively clean. He picked it up somewhere in the middle, Severus supposed.

Dora was hugging both of her parents again, and showing off her duck and her necklace. So he needn't have bothered with the privacy really. But it did… please him that she thought his gift worth showing off. And they would conveniently only understand that it was a symbol of the witch's house.

"So it's for Hufflepuff and the badger is Severus's patronus," she finished explaining. _Or not then…_

The way Dora's parents were smiling at him now, he felt about two feet shorter and no older than Harry, trying to impress a girl's parents for the first time and feeling entirely uncomfortable doing so.

"Well, time for gifts, I think?" Andromeda suggested, motioning to chairs and a couch.

Harry ended up in the middle of the couch with Severus on one side and Dora on the other. The child's eyes were wide and bright. Severus expected he was more excited to be thought of than for the gift itself.

"Everyone opens at the same time, because we have always had one with no patience for anything else."

Severus glanced at Dora behind Harry's head.

"Not me- _Dad_. And perhaps me too," she smiled. Ted Tonks laughed good-naturedly, but the man was already tearing into a present, so Severus turned to do the same. He was still surprised that there were two gifts for him. He had expected something from Dora, but from her parents? The bottle of wine he had brought had not been enough thanks, even if it was a nice bottle. He hadn't even wrapped it at a real gift, more out of appreciation for the invitation into their home.

Severus unwrapped the package from Dora's parents first. A dark green muggle dress shirt. He wore muggle clothing occasionally, with more ease than purebloods of his age. The younger generation adapted to muggle clothing more frequently. Severus had noted that Andromeda Black wore trousers and a blouse, clothing that she would have never worn in the Black family house in childhood.

Examining the dress shirt further, he raised eyebrows at the Slytherin crest upon the pocket. A Slytherin crest on a _muggle_ shirt.

He looked up to see Andromeda Tonks's eyes on him. "It's lovely," he commented.

"I added the emblem. I thought you might appreciate the irony," she smiled the same way that Dora did when she was teasing or saying something particularly clever.

Severus nodded and turned his attention to his son.

Harry had opened a nice snake stature that resembled Godric from the Tonkses. Dora must have described the snake to them. Harry also received a book from Dora.

"I know you have a bit of interest in professional quidditch, but wasn't sure if you knew much about the teams. History, management, current players and biggest past stars. All in there for all the teams in the league.

"Thanks!" Harry exclaimed, returning the hug Dora offered. She was half-covered in gifts, many of them colourful clothing and some relating to music that Dora liked, or both.

But _quidditch_ , of course. It was progressively difficult to think of ideas of gifts for the boy, for each birthday and Christmas, but Severus had never taken Harry to a professional match. Severus didn't even keep up with when the games took place, but surely that would be a suitable gift for the child's next birthday?

Turning back to his gift from Dora, Severus unwrapped a book with blank pages and a nice quill and ball point pen.

"Not a diary," Dora clarified, apparently thinking of Riddle's diary. "For academic interests. You read so much, and I know you research, but I thought maybe you'd like to write more. You are so hard to shop for," Dora said as if apologetically. "And then you get me this really sweet and sentimental gift..."

"Dora, I love it," Severus insisted.

"Well, it's not as good as yours, but I can make it up to you by _not_ inviting you to the Weird Sisters concert Mum and Dad got me tickets for.

"I would go if you wish," Severus offered. He could be fun. Or at least, he could keep from ruining her good time. Around loud, irritating music. He wondered if he could cast muffling spells around himself without Dora noticing.

"Or, you could let me take Harry," Dora suggested.

"Me? Really?" Harry interrupted. Oh joy, now the boy wanted to go.

"It's not until their summer tour, so no sneaking out of Hogwarts to bother with, not that _I_ 'd be opposed. And I'd have him back by midnight I'd promise. One at the latest," Dora smiled.

"We'll see," Severus managed, winning smiles from both Harry and Dora. They both thought they'd won, and perhaps they had. He did… value how much Dora cared for Harry. Severus wasn't sure if he had ever met a person who would be so understanding of their strange past. And so much of it was thanks to Dora anyway. If they discussed safety concerns, there was no one he would trust with Harry more besides himself.

"Dora, dear, can you help me with dinner in the kitchen and leave the men to talk?" Andromeda asked.

"Mum, that's positively _archaic_ ," her daughter whined a bit, though Severus found it endearing. "And you know I'm hopeless at cooking. Severus is much better, really."

"Dear, I was discretely asking to come gossip with me in the kitchen-"

"Oh, well, _that_ I'll do, Mum," she said, "I just didn't catch the _Slytherin subtleties_ ," she stood up quickly almost overbalancing herself before stabilizing on Severus's offered hand.

Severus wished she wouldn't leave him alone with Harry and the father of the witch he was dating. What was he- Harry's age to be afraid of a girl's father? It didn't actually help that the man was only six years his senior, and likely didn't even look _that_ much older.

When the door closed behind Dora, Ted Tonks spoke up, "I haven't seen my Dora as her 'normal' self since she was too distraught to hold her form when my mother died three years back. Before that, not since she was- twelve or thirteen maybe. Dromeda used to try to get her to look like herself around us, but gave up around then, because Dora was too stubborn, and really, we knew that she was our little girl no matter what she looked like. But to see her looking so like her mother and much more importantly, to see her so happy- I can't help but like you for it, Severus."

"Thank you," Severus managed uncomfortably.

"She's a strong-willed witch, and old enough to make her own decisions for years now, and for what it matters, I no longer think that she's made a bad one. I confess that I did at first, but I was just a concerned father, as I'm sure you understand," the man said, indicating to Harry.

"Yes, very well," Severus said. He wasn't much for these conversations.

"Now, young man, I understand you can change yourself as much as Dora? Want to show off a bit?" the jovial man asked Harry. Harry started showing different things that he could do and talking to the man, freeing Severus from having to make conversation, which Severus couldn't help but think that Ted Tonks had orchestrated to make Severus feel better, the soft old Hufflepuff.

*****Dora*****

"So, Severus seems nice," her mother fished the moment they were alone.

"He is," Dora smiled.

"Harry looks a lot like his father when Severus was a little boy," Her mother tried next. She resumed putting food together, and Dora didn't offer to help, but her mother didn't ask. She knew better.

"I know," Dora said lightly. It felt like playing a game with her mother again, making the older witch be direct.

"Only I believe Harry is _happier_ ," her mother led.

"He is," Dora said. It was sad that Severus didn't have a brighter childhood, but he had been determined that Harry would still have one.

"Well, come on and have out with it then," her mother snapped. It was as good as begging from her mother. Dora grinned.

"Severus is great. Really great. Such a gentleman. Easy to talk to. Intelligent. Values my opinion. Charming. _Handsome_ ," Dora said in challenge, but her mother didn't react. Dora was more than aware that Severus wasn't traditionally handsome, or really someone who would be considered attractive by any society's current or past standards of beauty. She'd even thought he was somewhat ugly when she'd first developed… feelings. But such features evidently grew on a person. She wouldn't have thought that crooked teeth could make such a lovely smile when he was happy enough to show them. Which was more often in recent history.

"And do you think he loves you too?" her mother teased. Or _was_ it a tease?

"I didn't say- I mean, Mum, we've only been dating a year and a bit," Dora protested. About a year and a half now, really. But they both seemed content with slow. Very slow. Apparently very, very slow, but she wasn't complaining, so her mother needed to lay off.

"Yes, but dear, I don't recall you ever dating a boy for even a month before."

"Mum, Severus isn't a _boy_ ," Dora huffed.

"Yes, and it still pains me that you're not a little girl anymore either. You grew up too fast," her mother chided. That was a comfortable conversation at least.

"You could have had more kids," Dora responded in her typical way.

"With as much trouble as you were?" It was a long-standing joke. Family. Safe. Comfortable. "I'll just have to wait until you give me grandchildren," she added. _Not safe. Not safe._

" _What? Mum!_ " That was not a conversation she was ready for.

"Of course Harry seems like a precious boy, and I'm so glad you've bonded with him in the last years. What do you think he sees you as, dear? Big sister? Fun aunt? A mum?"

"I- don't know," Dora admitted. "I've been really busy with work and haven't gotten to see him much lately. More in the holidays, but still." Work was something she didn't discuss with her family, especially after she had been put on the team hunting her cousin Sirius. Her mother's favorite cousin. It was too painful for all of them. It had hurt too much when Dora was a little girl, and it hurt again now. But there was something else she could give her mother, Dora realized.

"Mum, I want to tell you something, but I can't tell you the whole story, and you can't tell anyone but Dad, and he can't tell anyone either. Okay?"

Her mother frowned but nodded, "Of course, dear."

"Regulus betrayed You-Know-Who. He took something valuable from him and did his best to destroy it, and as best as we can figure, he died because of it," Dora got out. She couldn't make Sirius a better person, but she could give her mother her other cousin, or at least the memory of him, even if Dora didn't think they had been close. Severus wouldn't mind if she was that vague about it. He would understand. She should have thought of it earlier.

And then her mother was hugging her tightly, wiping off tears that Dora wouldn't comment on. "It's a strange system, the sorting. Strange that it divides people long after they are no longer students." Dora nodded. Her mother continued, "Slytherins tend to have great career success. I sometimes thought I didn't measure up. But you don't hear many tales of any sort of Slytherin heroes."

Dora nodded, feeling moisture in her own eyes. "Severus is mine," she whispered.

Her mother chuckled, "I knew there was a reason I liked him." It was only a little strange that it reminded her that she needed to give Harry another good, Christmas hug. It had been too long since she had felt a good mother's hug, and she had missed it. Dora hoped the "men" were doing alright talking, because dinner was going to be late.

 **A/N: I find Andromeda Tonks fascinating, so I was delighted to have a chance to work her into the story. Let me know what you think! Also, to follow-up on Harry's patronus, I chose a snake for a variety of reasons. Harry never learned to shun his Slytherin side, and he likes snakes, identifies well with them. And his father, his biggest role model, was a Slytherin.**


	51. Chapter 51 Heart and Firebolt

Chapter- Heart and Firebolt

*****Harry*****

"Hermione," Harry greeted, surprised to see his friend back on Boxing Day. Ron was spending another day with his family. Harry wouldn't have been in the Tower at all except to move a couple of his Christmas gifts into the Tower. "I didn't think you would be back before tomorrow like Ron."

"I had some things to do here," Hermione explained, indicating the large pile of books in front of her. Harry couldn't understand what she could possibly have to do. None of Harry's classes gave any work over the holiday, so unless Ancient Runes and Divination had a lot of work… because he knew there wasn't any Muggle Studies assigned either from Ron. She was probably getting ahead for next term, but with her time turner, couldn't she make both work so she could spend time with her family? Was she allowed to take the time turner home and use it there to do studying and family time?

She had evidently spent less than a day there- half a day really.

"Hermione, did you go home at all?" Harry guessed quietly.

Hermione opened her mouth a few times. She looked just like when he and Ron had confronted her about the time turner on the second day of term.

"My… parents aren't like the Weasleys. They wouldn't have understood why I would come home for just a few days. It was… easier to say I had other plans," Hermione explained.

"Well, you could have gone home the whole time you know?" Harry said, feeling responsible. "I mean, I love having you here, but I don't want you to feel like you had to stay for me."

Hermione looked away, "Harry, I have four grandparents. And two step-grandparents. And my own parents. And that's a _lot_ of family for me to be the only child, the only grandchild that any of them have. And they aren't very religious, but on Christmas, we would always get together, even grandparents who didn't get along the rest of the year, and the focus was always on me."

"That would be a lot of pressure," Harry guessed, hoping it was the right thing to say.

"I _loved_ it. I flourished with adult adulation that I never received from my peers."

"Oh," Harry said. That didn't seem bad, but he thought there was a 'but' coming.

"But when I went home after the first term my first year, I had nothing to talk about with them. Nothing that I _could_ talk about with them. I was already a term behind in school, and I hadn't even _looked_ at a muggle book since I got my Hogwarts letter because I was so excited to be a witch. So when they asked me about what I was learning in school I panicked. I could hardly say that I had transfigured matches and needles and levitated feathers, brewed potions that wouldn't work by rules of muggle chemistry."

Harry nodded, getting a clearer picture.

"So I lied. I talked about things I had learned the last term, after Christmas when I saw them last. And you know what? My grandparents all agreed that my new school wasn't _challenging_ me enough, that I could be doing so much more. When _I_ was stressed over trying to learn a few thousand years of national and international wizarding history, and enough spells to look… like I was as good as or better than everyone who grew up with magic."

"That's… a lot of pressure to put on yourself, but you were definitely the best in our year."

"Not at first. On the first few assignments, my marks weren't as good as they could have been. Not the best in the year, I knew. We didn't have many classes with the other houses, but there were two Ravenclaws who already knew _so_ much Astronomy. I knew some of the muggle observations, but it wasn't anything I had studied at length. And several of the Slytherins _and_ Ravenclaws knew some of the first year spell work that they must have learned on borrowed wands. I thought that that would stop after our first year, but they probably keep getting ahead each summer because the trace doesn't work in magical homes, which is still completely unfair. Our year in Gryffindor just has a lot of muggle raised students and magical parents who follow the rules, so it would be easy not to notice, but I do now."

Harry was torn between assuring his friend that she was the top of their year and telling her that it didn't matter what grades she made.

"You're a really great witch, Hermione. The best I know. Well, tied with Tonks, but I don't think she had everything figured out when she was our age. And Professor McGonagall's pretty great too, even when she's scary."

"Thanks, Harry," he said, voice hitching. _Please don't cry_ , Harry thought. He didn't know what to do with crying. A hug? "It's just… after that, I tried to keep up with what my peers would be learning in regular school but… I still didn't want to go home last Christmas, and it was so _easy_ just to stay here. And with all of my courses last term, I hardly had time to look at muggle school work at all. I had hoped Muggle Studies would be more… informative. With as behind as I was… I just couldn't face them."

"I'm sorry," Harry said.

"My own grandparents don't know what I am, _who_ I am anymore," Hermione said.

Harry hadn't had to do that. He grew up in the muggle world, but no one there cared about him, and he'd never had to go back after coming to Hogwarts.

"Maybe you could just tell them," Harry suggested.

"It's against the Statute of Secrecy. You can only tell muggle family members who live in the same house as the magical child. It would be especially illegal for my step-grandparents, whom I love just as much as my other grandparents. And even _if_ I told them, they wouldn't believe me. Mum and Dad didn't really believe me until we went to Diagon Alley, even though I'd done magical things mostly or halfway on accident for years. I think it might look strange bringing a bunch of old muggles to Diagon Alley. I can't cast spells over the holiday to show them. I don't have a flying broomstick or an invisibility cloak, and they could probably rationalize either of those inventions in non-magical terms. It's just… not worth breaking the law over. I'm fine staying here."

"And your parents?" Harry asked.

"I- spent time with them in the summers, and they haven't pushed too hard for the winter breaks."

"That's good," Harry said awkwardly.

"You're a good friend Harry for listening to me as I babble on," Hermione said, wiping her eyes which never quite cried.

"Thanks. You are too."

"Don't tell Ron how close I was to having a meltdown, okay?" Hermione asked.

"I won't," Harry promised, wondering how he didn't notice that something was wrong with his friend sooner. "How about some training?"

"Thank you. That sounds refreshing," Hermione agreed.

*****Harry*****

It was the third morning after Christmas when Harry met Ron outside of McGonagall's office.

"Sorry Mum guilted me into another day," Ron said as they walked back to the tower. Harry didn't think Ron really minded. "She really wanted me to stay the rest of the holiday, but without you two, the train ride would've been dull. Is Hermione back?" Ron asked.

"Er-" he had promised that he wouldn't tell Ron that Hermione got upset, but did that include all of the contents of their conversation? "She should be in the tower, yeah." Hermione could tell him later if she wanted to.

"Then it's even better that I'm here. Can't let her get too far ahead of me in defense practice," Ron said. "She's better than me enough as it is," he said, which Harry didn't think was really fair. Ron was doing really well with the blasting hex, "But I almost didn't make it back when I did from trying to get Scabbers back with me. Mum had to summon him for me, and he kept struggling. It's that cat, you know."

"Yeah," Harry said, though he privately wondered if Scabbers was smart enough to remember anything that happened even the day before.

*****Severus*****

Severus had done little but train Harry and pore over the mysterious Firebolt for the latter half of what should have been his holiday break. The broom had passed not only his own inspection, but those of Minerva, Filius, Hooch (for the little that that meant to Severus), and even Albus before Severus was able to speak to the retailer and the lead manufacturer, who also inspected the thing and found nothing wrong.

The cowering, irritating shop owner couldn't tell him anything useful. He'd accepted an owl order from Gringotts without even the account number and sent the broom to Hogwarts. And of course the goblins could not be intimidated into sharing client information. And Severus suspected that they would have no issue taking an order from Sirius Black. Because, that was exactly who Severus had suspected sent the "gift." Sirius Black came from enough family money to buy such a thing, and who else would send such a thing to his son? How could it _not_ have ulterior motives?

But there was nothing wrong with the broom. The little store was so sure that there was nothing wrong with the thing that he switched brooms and gave Severus a different one entirely, thereby wasting days of work, but Severus was still glad to do it. He was loath to admit that it was an excellent idea from the unlikable man.

After a few additional scans and a ride on the new broom himself… just to be certain, of course, Severus was ready to give the broom to his son.

"Father?" Harry called, walking into their rooms. He had asked to see Harry here sometime this afternoon, so of course the boy would come just after finishing lunch. But it was good enough timing. The train with his peers would be arriving that evening, so if he wished to test the broom in relative privacy before then, there would be time.

Severus motioned to the Firebolt on their table. "The broom has been cleared of all dangers. I believe you have a quidditch practice tomorrow morning that you might want to bring it to?" Severus suggested.

Harry shrugged, "Thank you. Very much. I'm sure Oliver will be glad that someone can borrow the Firebolt," Harry said, like he was testing. Like he was pretending that he wasn't saying something important.

"Are you still afraid to ride it yourself? Because I assure you, testing has been very thorough, and I have ridden it myself without issue. It is… an excellent broom." Better than he could have hoped to provide himself, at least without a drastic change to their financial security. No, they needed enough savings to leave this place and go into hiding for an indefinite period of time if needed, and he would not dip into the Potter vault to do so.

"Then you can ride it when we go flying together," Harry suggested. What was wrong with the boy?

"Harry, what's _wrong_?" Severus asked.

"You gave me a really great broom," Harry started. "And then I got it wrecked, and you were really great about it. You even bought me an even better broom. I would never- I would never be ungrateful enough to ride a broom that some stranger got me when you've done so much."

The boy was insecure. Perhaps even afraid to upset _him_. Harry seemed so well adjusted and happy most of the time, it was easy to forget that this was a child who would not take having people who loved and provided for him for granted.

"Harry, I want you to ride the broom," Severus told his son.

"Why?" Harry asked, not understanding.

"Because you are a thirteen-year-old boy who has been given one of the greatest material possession money could buy, and I would not take that from you," Severus explained.

"Thank you, Father," Harry replied, tentatively picking up the broomstick, before putting it down again and giving Severus a hug. Severus never got tired of that.

"I suggest we go see how you can fly with it, don't you think?" he suggested. It was still wie for him to supervise the first ride on such an impressive broom.

"You're coming too?" the boy asked with a smile. Severus knew that most teenage boys would be less thrilled with the prospect of flying with their parent, but Severus felt guilty that he hadn't done so more often.

"I don't see why not." He had put everything except brewing the Wolfbane potion aside during his investigation of the broomstick. The rest of his work could wait one more afternoon.

*****Harry*****

Ron thought the Firebolt was just about the greatest thing ever. Hermione wouldn't fly with them, but she did bring her course work outside while they flew, so it was basically the same thing to her.

Oliver was beside himself at their next practice. Harry hadn't wanted to make a big deal about the broom, so he hadn't mentioned it to anyone besides Ron and Hermione, but he figured that he needed experience riding the broom in an actual team practice. But Oliver's face… he might have been in love with the broom.

The start of practice was incredible. There was nothing quite like flying. But it started to feel… too easy.

"Land," Harry yelled to Colin after Harry caught the snitch the fourth time in a what couldn't have been more than twenty minutes.

"That was _incredible_ flying Harry. And such a great broom," Colin complimented.

"Take it," Harry said, handing Colin the Firebolt and walking towards the broom shed. Colin was doing fine, but it just wasn't a challenge when he was _faster than the snitch_ and with a slower and less skilled opponent.

"What?! I can't do that. What if I break it or something? Your dad could skin me for potions ingredients or something. Not that he's not great and- you know what I mean. And Oliver would scream at me for endangering it."

"You can fly, Colin. You're not going to break it. It's easier to handle than a school broom. You just need some confidence. Once you know you can do something, it's a lot easier." He'd learned that recently, and was pretty sure it applied to most everything.

"But why would you do that?" the boy asked, insistent. That was interesting. Harry didn't think he could have loaned out his Nimbus 2000 from his dad. Maybe not his Nimbus 2001 either. But the Firebolt… it was just a really good broom, and it might help Colin.

"To make you a better opponent. And I always need more practice with an inferior broom. It's like making the snitch faster only even better, because the opponent isn't disadvantaged. Though maybe I could get the snitch to go faster too," Harry pondered aloud.

"But Harry, you have a _Firebolt_. You don't have to worry about anyone having a better broom than you."

"For now," Harry acknowledged. "Until someone else makes the next broom. My first year, the Nimbus 2000 was probably the best broom on the market, and that was just two years ago. There's always something new. Okay?" Harry asked, swinging his leg over the school broom.

When Oliver called an end to the practice, the snitch count was nine to one, but Harry had never seen a bigger smile. He was pretty sure after that catch, Colin Creevy could cast a pretty good patronus if he knew how. And that gave Harry some other ideas.

*****Harry*****

Harry had rarely seen Hermione moving so… angrily. She hurled a book at the table. _A book!_ Neville was just a few paces behind her.

"I'm done. I'm done. I do not put forth that much extra effort for _this_."

"You're dropping Divination?" Harry asked after seeing that was the book she had thrown. And she would have had that class that day.

"Yes, I am," Hermione huffed, slightly more dignified.

"You beat her," Neville said, happy eyes wide.

"I wouldn't call it a defeat as much as an escape. And I do wish you could leave too. That witch is positively horrible to you," Hermione went on. "Maybe you could ask Professor McGonagall-"

"I'm fine," Neville dismissed. "I just predict my death and stuff like she does, and I usually get "E's" at least. Easiest class I'm taking. But you really _beat_ her. She said one of our number would leave forever around Easter. But if you leave in January, that's way too early to count! I think she was talking about you, guessing how long you would put up with her nonsense."

Hermione looked uncertain if this was best, "I- suppose I did then, thank you. I'll speak to Professor McGonagall about removing the class from my schedule."

"After an exit like that, I don't think she expects you back," Neville said.

"What did you do?" Ron asked, looking at his smart friend with admiration.

"She… is an absolute affront to academic integrity. And bullying! She refuses to cease fabricating horrendous scenarios for Neville that ultimately predict his death. Palmistry is no better than any others. She's had it out for you since you broke that second tea cup, when if she were a decent witch, she would have just fixed it herself. If I cared about her stupid tea cups, _I_ could have fixed it."

"I'm fine, really. And you made it the most entertaining class period ever. And now your schedule will be easier since you won't have Divination and Muggle Studies at the same time," he said the last part quietly. The other three couldn't help looking at each other, even though Harry knew it made them all look guilty.

"Neville, that's not possible," Hermione said. It wasn't even a very good lie.

"Don't worry, I haven't said anything to anyone, and I wouldn't. It's none of my business," He said, heading off.

"Neville, I didn't mean it like that," Hermione said. "I can explain. _Really_ explain," she said.

"Don't need it. I already know. A time turner fits best," he whispered. "I've- looked into some of that stuff. There's a lot of things I've wanted to change before, and magic seems like it could do anything, even if it really can't. I had to grow up a lot to know that I wouldn't change anything even if I could."

Thinking about what Neville saw with the boggart, Harry had a vague idea of what Neville might have wanted to change. And he was now pretty sure that Neville Longbottom was a lot stronger in many ways than Harry was.

 **A/N: Let me know what you think! The scene with Hermione was inspired by another fic that I plan to write eventually called** _ **Happy Families are All Alike**_ **.**


	52. Chapter 52 Cat and Rat

Chapter 52- Cat and Rat

*****Harry*****

The biggest surprise of the Ravenclaw vs. Slytherin match came before the game even started. When the teams lined up and the captains were to shake hands, Adrian Pucey didn't take hand offered by Roger Davies, but pointed the Ravenclaw captain to Draco instead.

Draco was the captain of the Slytherin quidditch team as a _third year_. And Harry didn't even know before then, which made him feel… a little lonely. He considered them to be good friends, but they really didn't… talk that much. But they were in different houses, and only had potions class together, and they each partnered with someone from their own house.

Draco was leading the chasers in different plays, and it was working well- really well. Harry tried not to listen as Ron was going on about how team captains were almost always fifth year, at least, and they got perks like getting to use the prefects loo. He was pretty sure that Hermione soaked in _that_ information more than she ever listened about quidditch techniques.

Harry's real focus when watching a quidditch game though would always be searching for the snitch. He'd seen it twice before either seeker noticed it. The third time Harry spotted it, both seekers did too, but Higgs got into Cho Chang's way, making them both lose sight of it.

They were making up for lost ground with Gryffindor and hedging against future games. Harry wished that he could just pull for his friend rather than having to consider the future of his own team with every move Draco made. Ahead two hundred points with the seekers barely seeming relevant anymore. Until Cho saw an opportunity to end the game and took it. Maybe Ravenclaw wanted to play the points game that both Slytherin and Gryffindor were engaged in, or maybe the game had just gone on long enough.

So Slytherin won only by fifty, but with still a large point total to surpass, and less than a month before Gryffindor would be playing their next game, this one against Hufflepuff.

*Harry*

Quidditch practice continued to go well. Ginny was proving herself to be very talented, probably as good as any of the other chasers they had which- made Harry glad that he wasn't the captain with decisions like that to make for next year. The other chaser reserves were doing fine, and Colin was getting better all the time, especially when he borrowed the Firebolt.

The younger boy had excelled in their casual defense practices too, after Harry had invited him. The second year learned a pretty good stunner and shield charm, though Ginny enjoyed breaking it. Ginny was… very aggressive. She didn't take well to shielding and couldn't manage a whisp of a patronus, but that tiny witch quickly learned a terrifyingly strong blasting charm, which made Harry wonder if even Milly could fix some of those pillows. She still enjoyed her bat-bogey hex the best, a spell that apparently Fred and George taught and then regretted.

Quickly, it was time for their next quidditch match, with each match important for the Cup.

And Cedric Diggory was who Harry had been looking forward to playing most, even if the older boy hadn't been that impressive against Ravenclaw, Harry was thought Cedric would be more… focused this time, playing against Harry instead of a pretty fourth year witch, and also might feel that he had more to prove.

But, it would also be Harry's first quidditch match riding the Firebolt.

"Ready, Harry?" Oliver asked for the third time that morning. Harry wished he would just focus on someone else. Harry was wondering if he should have eaten more breakfast, but he was never very hungry before a game.

"Yeah, I'm ready." There was nothing to do for him but flying and catching the snitch. It wasn't so much as raining that day, much better than their last game. And nothing bad could happen to him with his dad watching. Even a dementor attack in a thunder storm hadn't gone too badly for him last time because his father was that good.

Harry watched as the two captains shook hands. They were about the same height and build, but that made Cedric large for a seeker, at least compared to the ones Harry had flown against before.

The Hufflepuff team was young, maybe as young as the Gryffindor team had been when Harry joined it. That was probably why Diggory as a sixth year was the captain, even though he was only on the reserve team the year before. Harry hadn't really paid attention to anyone but the seeker at the time, but he was pretty sure that no one was left from the Hufflepuff team just two years ago.

Maybe they would be really good in a couple years, like Gryffindor was now, but the Gryffindor chaser line had already scored two goals on their keeper within the first couple minutes of the game.

Harry and Diggory must have spotted the snitch at the same time, but Harry on his Firebolt was faster. Gryffindor win, one hundred seventy to zero. Lee was going on about how he had never announced a match where one team didn't score, and how it had been the quickest match he had ever watched, as Professor McGonagall tried to silence him.

Harry wondered if he could have made the same catch on his old Nimbus 2000. He hoped he could have. Maybe he would trade brooms with Ginny next practice instead of Colin just to remember what the old Nimbus felt like. She'd probably really like that.

*****Harry*****

"You coming?" Harry asked. It was unlike Ron to be delaying going down to breakfast. Even if he wasn't a morning person, he never missed a meal.

"I can't find my wand!" Ron protested, rifling through his trunk, even though Ron always kept his wand on the table beside his bed when he slept.

Harry bit his lip. He'd never tried it before, but it was worth a try, "Accio Ron's wand," he said, mimicking the motion he'd seen Tonks and his dad use. Nothing. "Maybe I did it wrong," he said apologetically. "Accio Harry's potions essay," he tried, and to his momentary delight, his scroll came to his hand. "Oh. Sorry," he said. "Did you leave it in a class maybe? Herbology after the de-pussing?" Harry suggested.

"I don't think so. Ugh, and the teachers are bound to notice, so if I don't find it today, I'll have to write Mum," Ron complained.

"Here," Harry was surprised by Neville handing Ron a clear ball. Neville's remembrall, Harry remembered.

"If it turns red, it means you've forgotten something. Maybe about where your wand is," Neville explained. Harry remembered that ball well, though it still didn't seem that useful if it couldn't say where Ron had lost his wand.

Ron took the ball, and all three boys stared at it. No change.

"So… I didn't forget it somewhere. Does that mean it was stolen?" Ron asked slowly. "Crookshanks!" Ron accused. "That cat is always trying to get in here, and it _hates_ me. And Scabbers was under my covers this morning, and he usually doesn't do that. He was _scared_!" Ron declared, picking up the rodent and putting it in his shirt pocket. Or maybe the rat was just cold and wanted to be where it was warm. Harry wondered why Scabbers didn't have a cage like Godric did, but he wasn't going to say anything when Ron was already upset. He supposed that the cat didn't have a cage either.

"Well, you shouldn't need it for Care of Magical Creatures, and then we've got Transfiguration, so you can ask McGonagall what to do if we haven't found it yet?" Harry suggested. Though it did seem like he was going to have to write his parents.

Harry couldn't concentrate well in Arithmancy, thinking about Ron's problem. At least Ron hadn't really accused Hermione's cat of taking it, not where Hermione could hear. Harry felt slightly more protective of Hermione after hearing her talk about her family over Christmas. It would be hard to love people and not tell them so much about you. And Ron's thought was ridiculous anyway. Harry could understand a cat wanting a rat, but what would a cat want with a wand? Harry was of the opinion that Ron probably lost it somewhere and the Remembrall just wasn't that good, but he'd still try to tell his father. And he'd keep sleeping with his wand under his pillow.

Just before Transfiguration class, Ron was able to talk to McGonagall, but all she could advise him was to write to his parents. But Ron could borrow Hedwig, and at least he'd hear back soon.

*****Harry*****

"Ron?" Neville asked, sounding panicked when the other boys were readying for breakfast the next morning. "Did you ever find your wand? Because now I can't find mine, and it's practically the only thing I've never lost. And- er, I really wanted a new wand, but Gran didn't like that idea, thought it was -er – disrespectful to the relative whose wand I've got, and now she might think I lost it on purpose," Neville finished in a mumble.

"No- sorry. I had to write Mum and Dad and they were… not happy. But now there really must be wand thief!" Ron proclaimed, "So you can prove to your grandmother that you didn't lose it at all." Harry thought this was still jumping to conclusions a little quickly, because Neville did lose things often. Though Ron didn't. Harry reminded himself that he really should have already talked to his dad about this.

"Scabbers, was that nasty cat in here?" Ron asked aloud. "Scabbers?" Ron called again, as if he expected the rat to make a noise back. "Scabbers! Harry, do the summoning thing," Ron asked frantically, tearing apart his four-poster bed.

"Accio Scabbers," Harry tried, to no result.

"Er- Ron?" came Neville's voice more timid that Harry had heard in a while. "I think there's some blood on your sheets. You don't think…" he said, pointing to a spot near the foot of the bed.

"Cat hair," Ron said, gripping something that Harry could barely see. " _Ginger_ cat hair."

"It could have been-" Harry started to say, though privately he was pretty sure that Crookshanks had finally Scabbers. He had tried a few times, after all, starting the day Hermione bough him.

"Next to _blood_?" Ron asked, wiping at his eyes and running for the door, "HERMIONE!" he screamed.

Harry followed reluctantly behind, hoping that Hermione was already at breakfast, but of course she was waiting for them.

"Your _beast_ was in my room," Ron said, shaking the hand that still clutched ginger cat hair in her face.

"Oh, I'm sorry. He just likes to explore," Hermione started.

"He ATE Scabbers," Ron screamed, and… now he was crying too.

"I-" Hermione alarmed. "Crookshanks wouldn't do that. Did you check under the bed?" she asked in a way that Harry thought was supposed to be calming but...

"You're _blind_. That beast has wanted to eat Scabbers since before you got it. I TOLD you to keep it in your room or at least out of _mine_. Scabbers only stays in my room or in my pocket," Ron cried angrily. "Or he did before he was _dead_."

"Are you sure you didn't just- misplace him? Like your wand- I'm sure he'll turn up," Hermione tried.

"Like my _wand_? There's two wands missing in our dorm, and I think your cat stole them too, but I didn't say anything because I didn't have proof, but I do for Scabbers," he said, shaking the hairs again. "Cat hair found next to _blood_."

"I- I don't believe it," Hermione said, stepping back. "I'll just- I'll find him and- and I'll prove that he didn't do it," Hermione said, running back up to the girl's dormitory. Harry didn't know how she intended to do that… and he wasn't looking forward to the rest of the day sitting between them- or without them.

*****Harry*****

"Harry?" His father asked from the couch. Dora was sitting in his dad's lap but looked up to smile at Harry.

"Wotcher, Harry," she said with a smile. "Sorry I haven't seen you much lately, kid."

Dora didn't get to spend much time with his dad either, and Harry couldn't just ruin their time together. Dora was always so busy with auror stuff. It was silly of him anyway. "I'll just… go," Harry said, already backing out of the room.

"Nonsense. You've seen me kiss your old man before, but no more of that anyway. Sorry, Severus. I haven't seen you since Christmas, Harry. How are you?"

"I'm fine. Can I sleep here, Dad?" Harry asked before he lost his nerve.

His father looked curious, "It is your room whenever you want it, Harry." Good. "But I will ask that you tell me what is troubling you." _Of course._ "Has anyone threatened you? Harmed you?"

"No, it's just… Ron thinks Hermione's cat killed his rat, and it looks like he's right, but she's denying it, and he's mad and… I just want to avoid it tonight and get some sleep. Is that okay?"

"Of course, Harry. Perhaps a mild sleeping potion?"

"Yes, please," Harry answered. It wasn't just for him, really. It was also so that his dad and Tonks could have privacy again. Though a nice, magic-induced sleep sounded pretty relaxing just then. And surely it would all blow over soon. After all, Scabbers was… old, and didn't really do much of anything. Though if it were his pet, Harry knew that age or usefulness wouldn't make any difference to him.

"Oh, and Ron and Neville's wands are missing, and Ron thinks Crookshanks did that too," Harry said, just as he was closing his eyes.

*****Severus*****

Wands missing? It was just like Harry to be overly concerned about the squabbles of his little friends. Severus tried not to personalize the incident, because it didn't improve the situation to picture it from the Weasley boy's perspective. Severus was quite certain that if the same had happened with one of his peers, he would have never spoken to them again. If the owner were one of the right Slytherin classmates, he might never have become a Death Eater. But, in time, he would have forgiven Lily. But in the Granger girl's position, he would do no better.

But really, all of them needed to ignore the teenage hormones and focus on the wand thief.

Severus made quite an impression on the little Gryffindors when he barged through their floo half an hour after Harry had gone to sleep. He had done the curtesy of informing Minerva for his visit, so she was there as well. He had never been to the tower before his son resided in it- though he rather thought there hadn't been as much sinister activity in Gryffindor Tower before then either, not that any of it was Harry's fault.

His spells detected that no one who did not belong had entered the third year boy's Gryffindor dorm, human or house elf in the last week, but with a bit more testing, he could confirm that Miss Granger's cat had visited on multiple occasions.

The few hundred children who were staring at him made the unsuccessful trip with Minerva more interesting. At least he was disrupting their day as one of them was disturbing his.

Severus was faced with the possibility that his most likely suspect might be a _cat_. A part-kneezle, he was certain, capable of the deed, but not a convincing adversary. Tall enough to open the door if it stood on its back paws… he was truly contemplating theft by _feline_ , and he hoped that it wasn't just because that would make him feel better.

He had questioned each of the third year boys, and used a bit of Legilimency to insure they were telling the truth. He wouldn't take chances with Harry's safety. Did normal lives exist in the wizarding world anymore? Or anywhere? In lieu of normal, Severus would accept life unthreatened by mass murderers and other faceless dangers. If Harry falling in a quidditch match was the most serious of his possible worries, Severus would accept that gladly.

Harry continued to sleep in his room in the dungeons in the next few days, and Severus did not mind. He did idly wonder if the boy's friends were still fighting. Only because it interfered with the relatively stable social environment of his son, of course.

When Severus managed to obtain a boggart, he almost didn't want to tell Harry, as troubled as the boy had been with his friends. But, with Harry there for additional hours, it would be an excellent time for the lesson.

Severus avoided actually making contact with the boggart that Minerva happened to have procured. He spent too much time on introspection to subject himself to more of it of such an unpleasant nature. The Mirror of Erised had been too much honesty for him. Though he was not thrilled with seeing the boy's boggart either, if it were to be a dementor.

But Harry was thrilled with the development, eager to begin right away, standing in front of the empty wardrobe that Severus had the thing trapped in.

"Are you certain you are ready?" Severus asked again.

"Yeah, Dad, just let it out," Harry dismissed.

The moment that Severus opened the doors with Harry standing in front of them, he felt the cold chill begin, the familiar hopelessness. Harry, wand raised, faltered. He took a step back. "Expecto Patronum," the boy yelled, voice cracking. A whisp of smoke no stronger than from Harry's first lesson emitted from his wand. Harry took another step back, backing into their table until abruptly sitting down.

When Severus stepped in front of it, just to banish it back, the thing had other ideas. Harry's lifeless body, laid unmarked on the ground. The work of the killing curse. Or perhaps it was an empty, vegetative body from having his soul sucked out by a dementor.

"Depulso," Severus said aloud, banishing the boggart back into the wardrobe and slamming it close. That was not okay.

Dead child… surely that was a common parental fear? Of course, most fathers hadn't had their son so close to death on multiple occasions. He could reexamine the implications later.

"Are you okay?" Severus asked, turning to Harry, finding the boy standing again, looking embarrassed. The child hadn't actually lost consciousness, but this had been a bad idea. But he also needed Harry to be prepared, after the quidditch incident. But how could a thirteen-year-old realistically be prepared to face dementors?

"Yeah, yeah, I can do it now, I swear," the child promised, looking at the spot where for all appearances, his own dead body had just laid. What would that image do to the child? But instead, Harry looked more determined, like he needed this.

The boggart couldn't suck out his soul, Severus reminded himself.

"Are you certain you want another try today?" Severus asked. The boy didn't have to push himself to try again today- or ever. Even if it was important.

"Yes, please," Harry replied, looking at the wardrobe with determination.

Against his comfort, Severus released the doors again. Severus felt the cold. Harry closed his eyes.

"Expecto Patronum," Harry screamed, and this time, the haze was replaced by a solid looking snake heading towards the boggart. In the commotion, Severus banished the thing back into the wardrobe, cold, hopelessness disappearing as the doors shut.

"Very good," Severus breathed heavily. It was truly remarkable in fact.

"Thanks. It's just- crazy how accurate it feels. I even heard- you know, the voices."

"Voices?" Severus asked carefully. The last time Harry spoke of hearing voices, a near-mythical beast was petrifying students. This was entirely different, of course… he reminded himself repeatedly.

"Well, yeah. When the dementors get close, I can hear the night- that my mum died," he said simply. As if that wasn't one of the most traumatic statements Severus had heard a child ay. Harry heard his mother just before she died?

"You- mentioned a woman's screams on the train, and I- knew you had had dreams of the curse, but there was so much else going on at the time, my concern for your safety paramount."

"It's fine. I can ignore it really. Just- this time I heard James Potter's voice, telling my mum to- to take me and run. It caught me by surprise was all, because I hadn't heard him before. But I did it well the second time, right?" Harry said with a smile.

There it went, the last piece of Severus's hatred for James Potter. How could even years of childhood torment and hatred stay after that? To die saving the son that wasn't his, because of a stupid prophesy that was Severus's fault, and didn't even really fit, because James Potter was not Harry's biological father. But he had been the child's father in every other way, for the time he was alive.

Severus could hate Sirius Black and await the man's death. He could hate Lupin, if he wished, and even dead, pathetic Peter Pettigrew, but no longer could he hate James Potter.

"You did very well, Harry," Severus told his son. "It has been a while since we have used the pensive. Perhaps you might like to see a few memories of your mother before bed?" Severus asked.

"Yeah, that sounds great," Harry agreed.

Maybe somewhere he could find an innocuous memory of James Potter. Their sorting would be suitable. Perhaps something else as well. A quidditch game, even.

*****Harry*****

The dead rat incident didn't blow over as smoothly as Harry had hoped. The next day, Ron had commented loudly to Neville that he had better keep Trevor away from the murdering cat. After that, they just didn't talk. Both of them avoided the Great Hall as much as possible, which Harry would have thought was impossible, since all of their meals were there. Ron's already quick eating had nearly doubled to a speed that made Harry genuinely afraid that his friend would choke.

Hermione said that she didn't know why she was even bothering with Muggle Studies anymore, given the minimal intelligence needed to excel in the class.

Harry spent the next few nights sleeping in the dungeons, and his father was nice enough not to object.

"Hey," Harry called as he was walking to breakfast. Draco was walking that way too, and he seemed to be alone. Draco slowed down as Harry joined him. "Congratulations on being named captain and on your win," Harry said.

"Thank you," Draco said politely, though he frowned for a moment.

"I- hear that you have a new seeker. Or two new seekers," Harry commented. Even is Slytherins didn't seem to gossip with the other houses, a quidditch tryout in the middle of the season wasn't going to stay secret.

Draco sighed, "Higgs didn't listen to me. He wasn't good enough to try to stall against Chang, and I told him so. He wished to upset the power dynamic, and it didn't work," Draco said shortly. Being in Slytherin did seem complicated enough that Harry was very glad he was a Gryffindor. Of course, being respected as a quidditch captain as a third year might be difficult in any house.

"Well, good luck with your new seekers then," Harry said.

"Weasley and Granger still fighting?" Draco asked, surprising Harry.

"Wha- why do you ask?"

"Because you've been sleeping in the dungeon and wandering around alone," Draco said. "And because Weasley wouldn't stop going on about it in Creatures class."

Ron talked to Draco about stuff like that?

"Who do you think is right?" Harry asked, willing to get advice even from someone he wouldn't have expected.

"What is there to being right? It's a cat and a rat. The cat ate the rat."

"But what would you do if it happened with you and one of your friends in Slytherin?" Harry asked.

Draco raised an eyebrow, "I couldn't allow a personal squabble over such a thing interfere with a family alliance. But I don't have friends like Granger."

"What do you mean? Because she's muggleborn?" Harry asked. He didn't think Draco cared about that, but they didn't really talk that much.

"Because Weasley can act without concern of family alliance."

"Because her parents are muggles," Harry repeated.

Draco rolled his eyes, "Not exclusively why, but yes. Though he should consider his personal alliances."

"You mean friendship," Harry smiled.

" _Yes_ ," Draco huffed. They were almost at the Great Hall. "And I can't imagine that the witch who wanted to free all the house elves really doesn't care about a dead rat," Draco said, walking away, leaving Harry more to think about.

 **A/N: Please let me know what you thought!**


	53. Chapter 53 Boy and Man

Chapter 53- Boy and Man

*****Severus*****

Severus had taught Harry's class in back to back periods, first in potions and then in defense, and what he saw did not please him.

The course work was fine. The class was adequate at potions and even defense. Mister Thomas was able to name numerous traits that differentiate vampires from humans, and Miss Granger, when asked, went on for some time about how vampires can best insert themselves in society without being noticed. No one in the class even made the joke that he wa vampire himself.

But the fact that Miss Granger was sitting between Parvati Patil and Neville Lonbottom bothered Severus more than it should have.

This was _enough_ , Severus thought as he asked Ronald Weasley to see him after class, and braced himself for meddling in the lives of teenagers whom he wasn't even related to. And it would doubtless make him late to his next lesson in the dungeons. Why could a fourteen-year-old student get a time turner and he couldn't?

"Mister Weasley, do you know why I asked to speak with you today?" Severus asked.

"Because I'm fighting with Hermione because her cat ate Scabbers, and Harry's upset about it," the boy answered sullenly, looking at the desk, "And now you're going to somehow fix it, but my rat, my _pet_ , Scabbers, is _dead_!"

"And what makes you think I can fix this situation, Mister Weasley?"

The boy looked at him unhappily but answered, "Because you're a parent, and you want Harry to be happy. So you're at least going to try. And er- I want Harry to be happy too, but Hermione won't even _admit_ that she's the one that's wrong this time!"

"If- Mister Longbottom had a- live insect collection, ants or some such, and your rat had eaten them, would you dispose of the rat? Kill it? Throw it out?"

"No! But they're- just bugs… and I never said I wanted her to _kill_ the cat. I'd never say that," the boy huffed a bit.

"How old was your rat, Mister Weasley? I believe you had him even in your first year? Rats do not typically live very long."

"He was Percy's before Percy got an owl. He's been in the family for- I can't even remember when we got him. I was really little, and I don't think he was a young rat then."

"Then perhaps twelve, thirteen years, is exceptionally long-lived even for a magical rat. Ten is a more than full life for the creatures."

"Scabbers wasn't magical, just a normal rat."

Severus tried not to frown, "You must be mistaken, Mister Weasley. I have had all manner of rodents before, and non-magical rats live two or three years at the most, even with excellent care." Severus wished he hadn't said even that. It was more than likely that the Weasley parents merely replaced the rat whenever it died, but this time it was away at school with the boy. "Regardless, you should be proud of how well and healthy you kept your pet. You are aware that cats naturally eat rats, as do owls, snakes, and any number of other pets that your friends and classmates might keep? I would find it surprising if Miss Granger was the only cat owner in Gryffindor Tower, along with the numerous owls. And Harry has his snake."

"Yeah, but owls stay in the owlery, and Harry keeps his snake in your rooms down here," Ron protested.

"And Miss Granger does not have another home in the castle to keep her pet in. Did you keep Scabbers in a cage, Mister Weasley?" Severus asked, feeling like he was being rather hard on the boy who _had_ just lost a pet, but he wanted an end to this nonsense.

"No, sir. But her cat isn't supposed to be in the boy's dorm anyway. I've talked to her about it before."

"I imagine that the cat cannot open the door, but perhaps it was left open one day by mistake, or the rat crawled out on his own," Severus suggested.

"It happened in our room. There was blood and orange cat hairs and everything," the child protested. Severus frowned, the setup uncomfortably damning for the cat, if the child was indeed certain they were cat hairs and not from his own orange head.

Severus sighed, a different tactic then. "Mister Weasley, I am inclined to understand that you feel that Miss Granger has the larger part of blame," perhaps he should have been speaking to them both, or to Miss Granger, "But do you intend to throw away years of friendship and make other friendships uncomfortably strained? You are, of course aware that Harry has spent the last nights in his room in the dungeons?"

"I know. I'm- sorry about that. I didn't _want_ to put Harry in the middle, sir. He knows he can sit with Hermione if she wants, but she just avoids everyone but Neville, and Neville's even told me he's sorry, and I think he really agrees with me more."

"Then I suggest that you offer the girl an apology. I would _hope_ that she would offer one in return. Miss Granger does not have many friends, and I believe she values both you and Harry more than she lets show." And now he was psychoanalyzing a teenage girl, _perfect_ , he grumbled to himself.

"I know she does," the boy acknowledged. "And you think me apologizing is the only way to fix it, Professor? Even if her pet ate mine?"

"I'm afraid so, Mister Weasley," Severus said. It wasn't necessarily true. If this didn't work, he would find himself speaking to Miss Granger and reversing his arguments.

"You know, just because he wasn't cool like an owl or even a cat, and just because he was… old and unfriendly, didn't mean I didn't care about him. But I will… apologize," Ron Weasley said, looking up at him before turning to the door. "Thank you, Professor."

Severus Snape was a bleeding-heart Hufflepuff.

"Mr. Weasley? I have been informed that you no longer possess your wand?" Severus asked, though he knew the answer. It was just as well that Harry wanted to sleep in his room in the dungeons after his friends' falling out, because Severus was not comfortable with whatever wand snatching was taking place in Harry's dorm room, though he would have to allow Harry to return eventually. He was actually considering magically barring animals from the room. He would have to make exceptions for the boys' remaining pets- he knew the Longbottom boy had a toad. Why did he know that?

"Yeah… er, but I'll have another soon. Harry let me borrow Hedwig to write to Mum and Dad, and they're going to get Uncle Bilius's wand. It'll probably be a good fit, because people always tell me how much I'm like him," the child said, standing a little straighter. Perhaps the boy liked this relative.

"My son, on occasion, has found himself in dangerous situations," Severus stated.

"I- Harry doesn't mean to, sir," the boy said earnestly. _Loyal._

"Yes, but the fact remains that he would be better served if his closest companions were well equipped. Understood?"

"Er- not really, sir," the boy said, though Severus was sure he did. The boy was looking at his shoes, face tinged Weasley red.

"Tomorrow one hour before dinner you will come here and we will make a trip to Ollivander's so that you can find a wand more fitted to you."

"I really couldn't afford… I mean, Uncle Bilius's will be fine, sir."

"I believe I stated that it was for my son's betterment, so of course I will shoulder the small financial burden," Severus spun the words.

The child was shocked, "I- couldn't accept anything so nice, sir," the boy was blushing fully crimson now and still averting his eyes, but Severus had seen that happy smile. It was no more than an obligatory objection.

"I am afraid I must insist as necessity of being my son's companion. Consider it an early Christmas present if you wish." The boy's smile grew as Severus spoke. Should he have been giving gifts to Harry's little friends? That was one more task that he did not wish. But the Weasleys always sent Harry something, for his birthday and Christmas. Severus didn't even know when Granger or Weasley's birthdays were. He vaguely thought he knew that Miss Granger was one of the oldest in Harry's year, and Weasley's was in the spring.

"Thank you, sir," The boy squeaked and attacked Severus for a hug. Made more ridiculous by the oversized youth being very nearly Severus's own height.

"As I said, simply a necessity," Severus maintained. "Now I believe you were intending to have a discussion with Miss Granger?"

"Yes sir, of course!" the boy called as he ran for the door. 

*****Harry*****

"Hey," Ron said, standing next to Hermione in the common room for the first time in ages- well, in two days anyway. Harry looked up from where he had been working with next to Neville. "I reckon I should have kept Scabbers in a cage. He probably wouldn't have even minded since he only seemed to eat and sleep anyway. And he was old besides, and starting to waste away. He'd been sick ever since going to Egypt, so maybe it was a better way to go- quicker like. I- don't really like your cat, but I guess it's not fair of me to be mad at it or especially at you for it just doing what a cat does. Can we be alright again, Hermione?"

Harry was almost as surprised as Ron looked when Hermione Granger let a _book_ fall from her lap to the floor and hugged Ron Weasley.

The girl was crying now, "I'm so sorry, Ron, that Scabbers is gone. I'd be devastated if anything happened to Crookshanks, and I know you've had Scabbers for longer, so I should have been more understanding. I was just so… so defensive of Crookshanks because I really love him, and I was afraid the school might not let me keep him if he really- did that. And I just didn't believe it at first because he's _never_ done something like that before. He'll find Neville's toad, Trevor, when it's run off, and bring him back without hurting him a bit," the girl said through tears, loudly into Ron's shoulder.

"S'Alright," Ron said, awkwardly patting Hermione on the back and making eye contact with Harry, wide eyes clearly at a loss of what to do. Harry just smiled, relieved that his two best friends were speaking again.

*****Harry*****

Easter holiday wasn't much like Christmas holiday. Students could go home and see their families if they wished, but almost no one did. Mostly just homesick first years who couldn't wait until the end of term. Maybe if his dad didn't already work at Hogwarts… maybe that would be nice. Also, the holiday was different because professors loved giving loads of homework.

Ron was still reveling over his new wand. The three found some time to sneak off to keep practicing their defense every day during the break. Harry still met extra times with his dad, sort of replacing the metamorphmagus lessons he used to have with Tonks before she was on the special Sirius Black hunting group. Harry wished that they'd just catch the man so his life could go back… well, to being more normal than it was now.

"That's really great, Hermione!" Harry said, as Hermione stared, open mouthed at the otter seeming to swim through the air before vanishing.

"Well, I had a new, very good memory to use," Hermione said.

"Oh?" Harry didn't want to ask but…

"Real progress for S.P.E.W. huge progress, really. Inspired by… a friend." Harry and Ron looked at each other. They hadn't heard about SPEW in a while.

"What happened?" Harry asked.

"Dumbledore signed an official document that I drafted saying that Hogwarts would be a haven for any mistreated house elf that wants to flee their family. They can enter into a traditional house elf binding like the other elves in the school, _or_ , they can take fair pay and vacation time. And Hogwarts has always taken care of their sick and old house elves, but now it is in writing, a health and flexible retirement plan for all the house elves of the school. And any Hogwarts house elf can ask for the wages and vacation time if they want. They haven't yet, but it's still new and… sometimes change take time."

"That's great, Hermione," Ron said.

"Really great," Harry agreed.

"I sent copies to the Ministry, of course, and I hope that Professor Dumbledore's name will carry enough weight to make this well known. And Ginny has introduced me to a girl whose father is an editor of a magazine. The periodical seems… a bit questionable to be honest, but getting the word out is most important, regardless of the method.

Ron produced a corporeal patronus the very next day, a surprisingly threatening Jack Russel terrier. Ron was thrilled, not liking to be behind- not that Hermione had tried to make him feel that way. Similarly, when they actually threw spells at each other, Ron would never have mentioned that he was faster at it. It was just because Hermione hesitated, and Harry hoped she could get past it. Maybe if she was throwing spells at someone she didn't care about.

*****Harry*****

"Oh, hello, Harry," Professor Lupin said when Harry nearly ran into him but stopped just short.

"Sorry, Professor Lupin," Harry said. He had been thinking over defense books, wondering what spells they should try out soon, and if they added more students, who should they be? Neville was who he thought of first, and maybe Colin Creevey, possibly some other younger students. Ginny, probaby. But it was probably a silly idea, really. Just because he had some extra practices with his dad and had read a few more books about Defense Against the Dark Arts didn't make him qualified for people to listen to him. Hermione had read a lot more books.

"Not at all, Harry. Tell me-" Professor Lupin hesitated. "Are you enjoying your week off of classes? I- just made some tea. I find myself having several cups every day. If you would- like to join me?" he asked.

It was part of living at the castle all the time that he ran into teachers outside of class more often than most students. Teachers came in and out of the castle during the summer and winter holidays, and Harry figured that most or all of them had houses outside of Hogwarts like his dad did, but didn't really use them much. None of them seemed to have families or kids except his dad, but Harry had also never asked such a personal question, so he wasn't sure. Usually they just said hello and kept walking.

"Thank you, sir," Harry agreed instead and followed Lupin into his office. It seemed nice, warm. If he was honest, it was a lot more welcoming than his dad's office, which had several preserved dead things in it, whereas the creepiest thing Lupin's office had was the tank with the grindylow in it, and Harry had already seen that in class ages ago.

Professor Lupin offered him a mug, which Harry accepted.

"I must say, I have been impressed with you, Harry. From our practical lesson on boggarts to your course work, it has all been… very impressive."

"Thank you," Harry said awkwardly. "My dad works with me on spells sometimes, and I practice a lot." He didn't feel like mentioning working with Ron and Hermione, because since he was a little bit like a teacher sometimes with them, it felt like bragging. Or maybe it would imply that he thought Lupin wasn't a good enough teacher, which wasn't true at all. Though Harry _was_ more concerned about an attacker that he might want to stun and tie up than he was a grindylow, because he didn't intend to go several meters below the lake's surface, even if he could swim decently enough now, if he could somehow breathe that long.

"Oh, really? Yes, Severus was always very good with Defense Against the Dark Arts. May I ask what you have been learning?"

His dad hadn't said that their sessions were private, and he was good about clarifying when Harry shouldn't say anything. "We started with protego, and then stupefy. And rennervate right after that. And episkey. And then incarcerus. And I've practiced accio a lot," Harry said, thought that had started outside of their sessions, Harry had shown his father, "And we do a lot of practice with speed and strategy. This spell where you know how many people are around was a cool one. And a locating spells where your wand's like a compass. I'm still working on those. And impedimenta, but it seems like stunning is usually better."

Harry didn't think he would mention blasting, cutting, and lighting things on fire, just in case those were private. He'd also learned a really cool spell, muffliato, which his dad had invented himself, and Harry hadn't even shown Ron and Hermione yet. And the spell his dad showed him to make a snake appear was definitely private, since Harry could talk to them. Harry didn't think he'd be using that one again though. Just because he could talk to snakes, didn't mean they would all listen to him. It did seem like a lot of spells now that he was listing them all and even leaving some out.

"And the patronus charm, since I was having problems with the dementors," Harry added.

"Oh. Harry that is all very advanced. May I ask if you have made any progress on the Patronus Charm? That one is a favourite of mine."

"Yeah, I can make a corporeal patronus even with a boggart dementor every time," Harry said. He hadn't heard his mother's or James Potter's dying scream since the first practice with the boggart, and for that Harry was grateful. That wasn't what he wanted to remember of her, and thanks to his dad, he had always had lots of good things to remember of her. They had even worked just on other spell in their last couple of lessons, because Harry was feeling confident with the patronus. He still really wanted to catch a boggart himself so he could use it to test Ron and Hermione, but he didn't really want to ask his dad or Lupin for help finding and moving one though. "I haven't gotten to test against a lot of dementors, like at the first quidditch game, because I couldn't cast the spell back then, but if it's not many of them, I think I'd be okay," Harry said.

"That's… very impressive, Harry. May I- see?" he asked. Harry wasn't sure if the older wizard was impressed or disbelieving.

Either way, Harry agreed easily. Briefly thinking of the day before when Ron cast his first real patronus, Harry said, "Expecto Patronum," and his snake came forth, briefly inspected Professor Lupin, looked back at Harry, and then vanished.

"That was… remarkable, Harry," Lupin said, clearly surprised. His patronus was pretty surprising, he knew, especially for people who didn't know he was a Parselmouth.

"Is that the same as your father's patronus, Harry?" the man asked.

"No," Harry said, wondering if his father's patronus was private.

"May I ask, is Severus's… a doe?"

"A girl deer?" Harry asked surprised. That didn't seem like his father at all. A scared sort of animal that people hunted, right? "No, his is a badger."

"Oh, then the same as… Miss Tonks?" he asked.

"No, hers is a duck," Harry said. "Do people usually have the same patronus as someone else?" Harry asked.

"Sometimes, but not… Understand, Harry, that there are many, many adult wizard and witches who cannot perform such a spell at all," his teacher said instead. Harry wondered if Lupin was going to say something more, and so Harry waited quietly for a moment. It was something he learned from his dad. If you are quiet, the other person will usually say something to fill the space. Sometimes a worthwhile something.

"Your mother's patronus was a doe. I… don't know if you knew."

So that was why the man guessed that for his fathers. That was certainly interesting. A doe seemed motherly, Harry guessed, and he'd felt bad for not liking them immediately.

"What was James Potter's? If he could do one," Harry asked. He didn't know much about James Potter, but the man had loved and raised him for at least a while after all. And it was a good opportunity to ask Lupin, since James Potter was one person that Harry didn't really like to ask his father more about.

"He was a very powerful wizard, though I daresay that none of us could have mastered the Patronus Charm at your age," the man said. "His was a stag, counterpart to your mother's doe."

That was pretty cool, he thought, especially if its antlers were really big. "Thank you for telling me," Harry said. From what he understood, that time must have been really awful for Professor Lupin. To lose so many friends in a couple of days- James Potter, Harry's mother, and Peter Pettigrew dead, and Sirius Black to blame, so sort of worse than dead.

"You're a bit like… the best parts of them as children."

"My mum and dad?" Harry asked. "Or my mum and James?"

"I didn't really know your father at that age. But anyone can see that he's proud of you now," he said. And even though Harry knew this, it was good to hear. "And Lily and James are as well."

"But- wouldn't he be mad?" Harry asked, emptying his tea. He had hardly noticed that he had been drinking it, but it did have a warm, comforting feel as Harry asked a question that he thought about sometimes, especially at first. "Wouldn't James be mad that I wasn't really his son?"

"Oh, he would be, I'm sure. Furious. For some length of time. But never at _you_ , Harry. He loved you more than anyone in the world, and he would never regret being your father," his teacher said sincerely.

"Thank you," Harry said, handing back the mug, throat feeling tight. It was nice to hear someone say that, nice to think about.

"Of course."

 **A/N: Please review! I hated leaving the trio fighting last chapter, but that was how the convenient chapter breaks fell, and I really like some of the scenes in this chapter, so I hope you did too.**


	54. Chapter 54 The Cup

Chapter 54- The Cup

*****Severus*****

Severus arrived at the Headmaster's office minutes before the time Albus had requested. With the restlessness around Black, Severus hoped that he could actually _do_ something, and a week of managing a few hundred students with no classes to attend over their Easter Holiday did nothing to settle him. The teachers could only give so many assignments, and the wretches would still find extra time to cause trouble.

Though if Albus didn't have a task for them at the moment, Severus had an idea of his own.

Albus handed him another vial, "As we have discussed, Tom Riddle had a fascination with Founders' artifacts. I have collected a memory from when he worked as a young man at Borgin and Burke's. He retrieved a cup with Hufflepuff's markings on it from an older witch, Hepzibah Smith, and I believe that young Tom made it into a horcrux, perhaps killing Madame Smith to do so."

Severus nodded. Another lead was as good as he could hope for, though what they needed most was another location, and Severus might know just where to look.

Albus was still speaking, "I believe he also sought an item of Ravenclaw's and Gryffindor's to complete the set. However, we know he did not take possession of the sword, the only heralded Gryffindor artifact. Ravenclaw, however, had a famed diadem that has been missing for some time. If anyone could track it down, perhaps it was young Tom."

Severus nodded and pocketed the vial of memories to watch later. The Ravenclaw diadem was less promising, searching for something that had been lost for nearly a millennia.

But now he needed to explain himself, "There was something that Harry said once, years ago, about Hogwarts being his real home even after a few days that struck me as interesting. I too felt- an affection for Hogwarts as I did not enjoy my childhood home. I believe that Riddle would have felt a similar pull. I am almost certain that he would have hidden a horcrux on Hogwarts grounds if he had the opportunity, or entrusted another to do so if he did not," Severus said, thinking of the diary.

Albus nodded thoughtfully and took out another phial and removed a memory from his temple, handing the second memory to Severus as well, "Indeed, he had opportunity. Even if he did not place one here during his years at the castle, Tom did return once to Hogwarts years later, when I was a new Headmaster, to apply for the Defense Against the Dark Arts position. It is possible that he went elsewhere in the castle at that time to hide a horcrux."

 _That_ was not a piece of information Severus had not heard before, and he would guess that no Defense teacher had stayed long after that point.

"Then I believe it to be in the Chamber of Secrets," Severus explained. "Riddle would have enjoyed having a place that only he could venture into. I believe I can open it again, and I suggest we do so to investigate before students return to the castle. _Now_ , if I can tear you away from your work," Severus said with a glance over Albus's cluttered desk. He hadn't the slightest idea what most of the trinkets were, and he wouldn't be surprised if Albus couldn't identify some of them either.

"You're asking me to go into the Chamber with you this time?" the old man asked, eyes twinkling. Severus did not need to be reminded of his past rashness. It had been close to a year ago now.

"I believe that would be appropriate, yes," he would never be allowed to forget those impulses, but at least he could learn from them.

*****Severus*****

The chamber looked almost harmless compared to his previous visits. Severus had not returned since disposing of the body of the basilisk after harvesting the useful parts.

"Have you found anything?" Severus asked Albus after his second detection spell failed.

"Nothing," Albus replied.

The cave was large, possibly naturally occurring underground and expanded a thousand years ago by Slytherin. The statue loomed over them. It was immeasurably egocentric to make an enormous statue of himself in the secret cavern that only he could enter. It was also where the snake had come up from, from the statue's mouth, and the last place that Severus hadn't checked.

"I'll shout if I find anything," Severus said tersely, looking up at the mouth. Albus knew his description as well.

Taking flight, Severus touched down on the open mouth of the statue. He had expected to find another passage going back down but instead was a hollow the size of a small room, just slightly below the level of the mouth of the statue, more cramped of a place than Severus would have thought a huge serpent would wish to spend curled inside. Perhaps the creature hadn't had a choice. And it had undoubtable been much, much smaller when Slytherin had left it there.

Worst for the purposes of their visit, the chamber was empty. _Damn_. Didn't Salazar Slytherin want to leave anything for his supposed descendants to find? Did he suppose a basilisk would be enough of a for the lucky parselmouth with intent to terrorize the school? Was _that_ what the founder of his own house had planned? Severus could hope that the creature was not so destructive before it spent a thousand years alone and was then bent to the will of a young Tom Riddle, but he disliked such stretches of imagination.

Severus didn't know what he had hoped for other than a horcrux- books to explain all of his problems? Mysterious advice on how to kill Tom Riddle? Jewels or ancient art? Anything would have been better than a dark, damp, empty room, if it could even be called that.

Another dead end to go with the fake locket.

Severus cast multiple detection spells to be sure he hadn't missed anything concealed. Nothing.

Severus descended back to the lower chamber where Albus waited.

"Slytherin must have removed anything of value when he left the place, if he ever kept anything here, or Riddle did. And Riddle left nothing as well." Severus had been _certain_ that something had been hidden in Hogwarts. Perhaps somewhere else. He had searched through all of the Slytherin quarters, all of the dungeons often enough, but he would do another sweep. And then turn to the rest of the castle, until he found it.

And if they had any luck, Black could be used to find the locket for them. Of course, they rarely had luck.

*****Severus*****

"Sir, can I stay late for a few minutes," Severus looked up to see Miss Granger standing by his desk. He wasn't particularly surprised to be waylaid their first lesson after Easter break.

"What do you wish to say, Miss Granger?" he said, trying to get on with it and somewhat curious.

"Is Professor Lupin a werewolf?" the girl rushed out shyly.

Not what he expected, but of course if anyone figured it out, it would be _this_ girl. Though the older years should be ashamed that they hadn't noticed the signs. "And why do you come to me, Miss Granger, with this question rather than your head of house?" He was getting tired of asking this question to Gryffindors now.

"Because, sir, I hope you will tell me the truth. You were very helpful with Lockheart last year, and because I've heard that you've given Ron… advice in the past. Thank you about that, by the way. Ron told me that you helped him see… another side to our fight."

"You are correct in your deduction, Miss Granger, that Remus Lupin is indeed a werewolf," Severus admitted, letting the girl's thanks pass.

"I noticed that he missed our class, but I couldn't find him in the Hospital Wing, and I heard about him missing classes for different years as well, and the dates just started to match up. And when I was reading my Defense text through a second time, and the section on werewolves caught my interest."

"Yes, Miss Granger. Is there anything that you are particularly asking for with regard to Professor Lupin?"

"I- are you making the Wolfsbane potion for him?"

"Yes, Miss Granger," he said, unsurprised by her level of research on the topic.

"And- he's definitely taking it?" the girl asked nervously.

"I have personally watched him take each dose, and intend to continue to do so. He has asked for a week's worth at a time, but I have found excuses, mostly fabricated, not to grant it."

"Well, that makes me feel better then," the girl replied, smiling at him. "So, you don't think he is dangerous?"

"I had my personal protests when he was hired, but I will freely admit that I was biased against him in particular, not werewolves as a whole. I will say that I am still doing everything in my power to mitigate possible danger."

"So, you knew Professor Lupin before- in school?"

"I did not say that, Miss Granger, but I imagine you have already been told that or pieced it together."

"Pieced it together and then received confirmation just now," the girl admitted with a smile. Brash little Gryffindor.

"If that is all, Miss Granger, perhaps you should hurry off to join your friends," Severus suggested.

"That's very nice of you, Professor, to give Professor Lupin a chance, and to help him, even if you don't like him. It would just take someone leaking it to the students or the paper, and he'd have to leave, wouldn't he?"

"That is correct, Miss Granger," Severus sighed. He had considered such a revelation often but had held back. Past aside, the man was the best teacher the students had had in Defense in years, so for the moment he was more of an asset to Harry and the other students than he was a danger. For the moment.

"It's not fair, the way I've read that werewolves are treated. Any kind of discrimination isn't fair. But… I admit that it did scare me, knowing what he could turn into. I feel better that you're monitoring his condition. Thank you."

"Thanks is not necessary, Miss Granger. It is as much for my own safety and Harry's as anyone else's. Now, run along Miss Granger. Tell Mr. Weasley if you wish, but be careful with the information you now hold," Severus admonished, wondering why he was saying anything to protect Lupin when he had never been afforded the same care.

"Harry already knows?" the girl asked.

"Yes, but I instructed him not to tell anyone," Severus told the girl. He wanted to spare Harry from lying to Miss Granger again when she inevitably told the boys.

"So… speaking of not telling anyone…" Miss Granger dangled. What secret were they up to now?

"Yes, Miss Granger?" Severus asked.

"The Statute of Secrecy. It says that I'm not allowed to tell my grandparents and step-grandparents that I'm a witch," she said as if that was all the information needed. It did make something more clear.

"And that would be why you did not return home for Christmas when Mr. Weasley did."

"How did you-?" she started to ask. It was unfortunate how many bits of minutia that he knew of student's lives, and staying at Hogwarts for Christmas created the worst gossip. Each student usually had a reason. "Yes, that's why. I just- feel like I'd rather not see them than lie to them."

"And are you worried that if your grandparents are told, they will tell others of magic, or that they will think you crazed?"

"I- they wouldn't tell anyone if they believed me. And- with Mother and Father, I think I could convince them," Hermione said. "My parents are now very interested in magic."

"So, you are asking if you think I find this to be a law worth keeping or breaking?" Severus asked, daring the girl to answer.

"Yes, sir," she answered with a small smile. Asking permission to break a law- how Hermione Granger.

"A wizard's chess set would make the best presentation, I would think. And have an owl ready in case it goes poorly and you need an obliviator. I believe Dora would not mind," he said instead. He was _not_ the provider of reassurance, only mitigating danger.

"Thank you, Professor," the witch said smiling widely, slipping out of the room. Why was he always speaking to Gryffindors?

*****Harry*****

Heading deeper into May, the Gryffindor team found themselves preparing for their third and final game, this one against Ravenclaw. Hufflepuff had narrowly beaten Slytherin when Cedric caught the snitch over Slytherin's new seeker, a tiny witch who had to have been a second year. It did make Harry realize that he hadn't seen a witch on the Slytherin team before in the years he had been at Hogwarts, which struck Harry as odd, because the Gryffindor team he joined close to three years ago had been half witches. The small girl had potential though, Harry thought.

But now, Gryffindor was set to win the Quidditch Cup basically as long as Harry caught the snitch. Or the chasers scored at least eleven goals and Ravenclaw didn't get something like two hundred and fifty points more than Gryffindor. So, it was essentially the straight-forward quidditch that Harry loved. They just had to win the match to win the Cup.

Cho was the type that liked to follow him around. Her broom had been able to keep well enough with his Nimbus 2000, but the Firebolt… she didn't have a chance with that tactic, though Harry never thought it was a good idea to begin with. It did make Harry think, not for the first time, that there really needed to be a standard of brooms allowed for quidditch to be fair. Of course, then it might be even more unfair to the people who couldn't afford the brooms to play at all. Cho kept trying to get out in front of him, but he had no problem flying around or just staying ahead.

"KATIE, ON YOUR LEFT!" And Lee was rather blatantly supporting Gryffindor with his commentary. He probably shouldn't do that so much, but McGonagall's protests didn't stop him, and she didn't take further action.

Harry led Cho around in some dives and then he saw it. Just ahead. An easy catch.

The Gryffindor team was around him seconds after he landed, screaming. Oliver was crying, sobbing, both arms slung around Harry's shoulders. The Gryffindor team was a many-armed hug, and the other Gryffindors swirled around them. Harry was picked up at some point in the moving crowd, only careful that he kept hold of his broom. He was pretty sure he even saw Percy Weasley jumping around, and the oldest Weasley still at Hogwarts was always so dignified.

Dumbledore presented Oliver with the Quidditch Cup, and Oliver handed it to Harry, and Harry passing it along to Fred, and down the line of players until it finally reached little Colin Creevey with maybe the biggest smile of all. It was a great day, and he would wager that there was quite a bit of celebration ahead, probably more than he would want.

The twins and Lee did leave the rest of the group suspiciously close to the kitchens, but Harry knew they'd be in the common room soon.

"It's just not the same," Harry heard Fred say theatrically.

"The sacrifices we make," George agreed. Harry shook his head, not understanding the conversation but hoping that the elves would give the twins some butterbeer.

*****Harry*****

With Quidditch over, and the final trip to Hogsmeade of the year not until after exams were done, there was nothing really to break up the days from exam studying. Oliver still had a few practices, preparing the team to be without him, but it was mostly the team hanging out. Oliver needed to study for NEWTs, even if he hoped to pursue a career in quidditch, and Fred, George, Angelina, Alicia, and Lee all had OWLs. And Harry and the rest of them still needed to focus on their regular exams.

There hadn't really seemed to be time for a reserve keeper tryout and training, but Angelina, who would be the captain next year, promised to do Oliver proud.

With the quidditch victory, unless someone lost a lot of points before then, Gryffindor was likely to win the House Cup as well.

But with the excitement past, even the Weasley twins did seem to be taking their studies seriously, reading books and practicing charms in the common room. Harry knew they spent some extra time brewing in the labs as well.

And Percy looked as busy as Hermione, intent on fulfilling his Head Boy duties (which seemed to include helping any student with coursework who asked him), and managing his own classes. Harry began to wonder if there were other students at Hogwarts besides Hermione with time turners. Maybe teachers too, though he was pretty sure he would know if his dad had one. There just didn't seem to be enough time to teach all of those students, especially in the subjects where the houses weren't combined. Though potions did sometimes have double length classes.

When Harry and Ron could convince Hermione, the boys dragged her away from her books long enough for a little "practical studying" as Ron called it, and in the last few sessions, Neville had been added to their number. Mostly Ron and Hermione practiced against each other and Harry worked with Neville, but the other boy was improving, and it was good to have an even number. Harry thought that Neville's new wand was helping him too. Three sessions back, Harry had asked Ginny and Colin to join as well, and the younger students worked together well, even if pretty quickly, Harry paired Ginny up with Neville, so he could work with the younger boy who needed it more than Neville.

When exams began, they went pretty well, Harry thought. Defense had been the most exciting, part of it being to go against a boggart again. Harry had hoped that maybe now that he could cast the patronus charm, his boggart might be something else, but there was still a black-hooded dementor waiting for him. Then again, after thinking back to Neville's boggart… maybe he wouldn't mind his dementor boggart.

*****Ron*****

Herbology was boring. He didn't even like de-gnoming the garden, and it was way more interesting than most of the things they did in Herbology, especially the written exam. Harry was off getting Neville's advice on the class, because Neville was really good at Herbology. And maybe also because it raised Neville's confidence a lot to be the one teaching a subject instead of the one getting help. _Ron_ could notice stuff.

Like he could notice that something was off with Hermione.

"Are you okay?" Ron asked when he noticed that Hermione hadn't turned a page in ages. They still had one day of exams left, and Ron wasn't really worried about Muggle Studies or Herbology, but he knew that she had Arithmancy too, and that class looked hard. And Hermione Granger never stopped studying until exams were over- and usually not even then without their help.

"You'll think it's stupid," Hermione muttered, turning a page, but probably just look like she was doing something. She turned it back a moment later and groaned.

"I'm not sure that you've ever said anything stupid in your life," he said. So it was an exaggeration to make her feel better, but maybe it would work.

"Fine. But you had better not laugh, Ron Weasley," Hermione warned. He wouldn't laugh no matter what she said. He had learned his lesson over fighting with Hermione- at least he hoped he had. "My boggart was Professor McGonagall telling me that I'd failed everything and would have to leave Hogwarts and be a muggle again. And I cried and ran out of the room. I couldn't even beat the boggart."

"Well… you know that couldn't happen right? You've got the best marks in our year for sure," Ron said. Maybe it would help to hear someone say it.

"But billions of muggles live their lives every day not even knowing about magic. Just because _I_ was lucky enough to have magic doesn't mean that I should be… terrified to have it taken away. It really doesn't reflect the right priorities."

Hermione Granger said… _what?_ Weren't getting good grades the top priority?

"Maybe the fear was more about… losing the people I like here," she said.

"Well, they don't kick you out for bad grades anyway, not that you'd have to worry. I mean look, Goyle is still around," Ron joked.

"Then- then my next fear would be what getting kicked out of school for breaking rules and my wand snapped. How about that?"

"That wouldn't happen either, but I've got a spare wand now, my uncle Bilius's. You could have it," Ron volunteered easily. "And we'd see you as much as we could to help when the books didn't say enough. Except, I guess if you were chucked out, we would have been kicked out already, but no way Harry's dad wouldn't keep training him, and I think he'd train us too, or Harry would if the professor didn't have time," Ron invented. It made sense to him.

"But isn't it illegal to cast spells if you were expelled?" Hermione asked. "Couldn't we be put in prison for something like that?"

"They don't throw people in Azkaban for just anything. Only really bad stuff, mostly violence. And anyway, we'd get you out somehow. Or if we were all in there, then Fred and George and my parents and Harry's dad would get us all out. Not impossible, now is it? _And_ we know how to drive away dementors."

"It's all just… silly to think about," Hermione shook her head. "I'm just overreacting and I know none of that could possibly happen."

"It's not silly if you were worried about it. We have it good here at Hogwarts, I know. I wouldn't want it to go away either. But- if something did happen- something less crazy, like you moved to Australia or something and went to a wizarding school there- you'd be fine."

"I- really wouldn't be," she said. It was still really bothering her. He knew she didn't really have many friends before coming to Hogwarts.

"Nah, you'd be fine. You'd make so many new friends that Harry and I would be jealous. Neville too. We'd have to write you all the time just so you wouldn't forget about us. Or maybe look into international floo travel, because that might be too far even for Hedwig."

There- he'd gotten a smile out of her. Mission accomplished.

"Thanks, Ron," she said, looking at her book again.

"Anytime."

Even Herbology wouldn't be too bad.

 **A/N: Another year is starting to draw to a close yet again. I realized that I hadn't done a scene from Ron's perspective, so I wanted to write one. Please, let me know what you think! The chapter name was for both Hufflepuff's cup and the Quidditch Cup.**

 **I see Harry with a strong, present father as treating Lupin as just another of his teachers. Maybe slightly more interesting than some of the others, but not someone he feels the need to really make a deep connection with, so they haven't spoken much before last chapter outside of his classes. I believe it is also worth noting that neither Lily or James's patronuses are specifically mentioned in canon, though it is alluded that Severus's doe was for Lily, so I went along with what made sense to me.**


	55. Chapter 55 Under the Tree

Chapter 55- Under the Tree

*****Harry*****

"Exams are _over_ , Hermione," Ron said for at least the third time that evening.

"Are you sure you should be going out, Harry?" Hermione said, looking at the sky. But they still had hours of daylight left, and it wouldn't be curfew for ages, and Harry didn't want to spend it all inside.

"It's fine," Harry said. "We're just going to see Hagrid, who's a _professor_ , remember?"

"And Black can't get in the grounds now, because Harry'and I'd dare any dementor to take on the three of us," Ron added. Harry had told them ages ago about the tunnel that his dad said was blocked now, and it had made Harry and Ron a little sad that there was a secret tunnel out of the castle that they had never known about.

"Just to see Hagrid," Hermione agreed. Harry wanted to congratulate his large friend on a successful first year of teaching. Their exam had been great, showing off their baby salamanders, convincing a hippogriff to let the student ride them (though actually riding them wasn't required, and Hermione declined), and tending a young porlock's feet, a difficult task when the creatures were terrified of everyone- except for Hagrid.

"Harry! Ron, Hermione," Neville panted, running to them. "I saw you out the window" The round-faced boy was out of breath from running when he started trying to explain, "I was in an exam- with Trelawney, and she went all weird- well, she's always weird, but- weirder. It was like it wasn't her for a minute, and she said something about a servant going to his master tonight before midnight, and it definitely sounded like Sirius Black and- and You-Know- _Who_ , and then You-Know-Who could get strong or something. And after that she was normal again, well normal for her- you know what I mean, and she acted like she didn't have any idea what I was talking about."

"But- like you said, she's always kinda weird Neville?" Ron asked skeptically, "You really think she wasn't faking? Sounds pretty crazy but-" he turned to Harry, "Do you think we should tell someone? Like your dad?" Ron asked.

"Oh _please_ , Ron," Hermione broke in, "You never went to class with that woman. I don't know _how_ she still works at Hogwarts. The whole field is guesswork at best, and really shouldn't be relied upon. Especially dealing with Neville. Neville, she's been lying to you, predicting your death all year. She was probably just trying to look impressive. I have _heard_ of a few legitimate predictions in the past, but most of them were done by centaurs, and many of those still never actually happen. I think if a teacher at _Hogwarts_ had made legitimate predictions before, we would have heard about it," Hermione let out. Harry enjoyed the strange side of Hermione saying something bad about any teacher.

That did make sense.

"Harry?" Neville asked because Harry hadn't voiced his opinion yet.

Even if the prediction was true, it didn't really say anything helpful. Everyone possible was already trying to capture Black, and his dad knew that Riddle wasn't really gone. That made the difference for him, "I think Hermione's right, Neville," Harry agreed. "My father didn't want me to take Divination because he said it wasn't very accurate magic."

"I… you're probably right," Neville agreed reluctantly.

"Come on, want to come with us to see Hagrid?" Ron asked eagerly. Neville nodded, and the four Gryffindors kept walking. They still had enough time for a nice visit before returning to the tower. And then there was probably another party going on or something for the end of exams, but Harry might just rather sleep.

"Draco!" Harry called, seeing the blond boy standing on the fence nearest Hagrid's hut. He was petting the head of a hippogriff, which was a lot closer to Hagrid's hut than they usually were. Harry couldn't tell them apart, but he wondered if that was Buckbeak, the one that both Harry and Draco had flown on.

Draco looked around and nodded, hand not leaving the bird-like head.

"Do you want to come with us to visit Hagrid?" Harry asked, belatedly looking back at his other friends, but none of them seemed to mind.

"I'm fine," Draco maintained, though he did watch them until Hagrid ushered them all in.

"Hope you lot are enjoying the fine day. Love the long evenings m'self. How 'bout some tea? And I just made some rock cakes this morning," Hagrid told them cheerfully. Harry hoped that Fang would come close enough for him to sneak the dog a rock cake so Harry wouldn't have to eat it. But still, it was really nice to visit Hagrid, and they hadn't done it enough lately.

"Got sugar on the table and milk in the jug. Now, what's goin' on wi' you lot? Wa's wrong Hermione? Not worried 'bout grades are you? Got no reason to be."

"Oh, sorry! Sorry!" Neville cried after he set down the milk jug he had just used halfway off the table and it fell with a clatter. "Just like my tea cups in Divination. I'm sorry, Hagrid," the Gryffindor boy said earnestly. "I'll get it," he said.

"No worries, lad. I have another in the cupboard," Hagrid said dismissively.

"I'll get that first," Neville clambered to get up and find the jug in Hagrid's very tall cabinets. Harry hoped he didn't break this one too, but didn't want to insult the other boy by offering help in a simple task.

Harry was relieved half a minute later when Neville placed the new jug carefully on the table and went to fill it from the milk bottle before… he might call it squeaking and taking a step back, barely keeping hold of the mostly full bottle.

"There's a rat in there," he said. "And I- don't want to get your hopes up, Ron, but it looks really old. Do you think maybe-?" he looked at Ron, who in turned looked miserable but with big eyes.

"Not sticking my hand in," Ron said with a sigh, moving to pour the rat onto the table.

It _was_ Scabbers.

"Scabbers!" Ron cried at the same time as Hermione. With Ron holding the jug, Hermione was quickest to get her hands around the rodent, though she looked regretful of that as the rodent squirmed in her hands.

"Well tha's a good day eh?" Hagrid asked. "Heard about you missin' your rat" he said, which made Harry wonder how much teachers knew about their students' personal lives and talked about them. Of course, Hagrid would be the one to pay special attention to animals, even a rat.

"Hermione, I'm sorry I thought-" Ron started before Hermione shrieked.

Scabbers had bitten her, and she'd dropped the rat in surprise.

"Sorry! Sorry!" She was on the floor in a flash, scrambling on her knees, but Scabbers was faster than you would have thought. "He ran under the door," she called, but Ron had already bolted for it.

Harry, Hermione, and Neville followed him out.

"Draco, help us get Ron's rat!" Harry shouted to the Slytherin still standing by the fence of the hippogriff paddock. Only hesitating for a moment, Draco chased after them.

"Why are we chasing a rat?" the blond boy asked, panting slightly already.

"Just- if you catch him, I'll owe you a favor," Ron shouted. That was apparently enough for Draco because he pulled out his wand as he ran.

"Accio Scabbers. Got him," Draco said, a moment later, grinning widely as the rat struggled. "You owe me now, Weas- AAAHHHHH-" the boy screamed as a monstrous beast came from the trees and grabbed his leg from under him and pulled Draco forward, hard, then running with Draco dragging behind, right towards a tree that seemed to be moving viciously in the non-existent wind.

The Whomping Willow. The tree that had destroyed his broom. _What could it do to his friend?_

And then the tree froze.

"Crookshanks!" Hermione screamed.

Was that _Crookshanks?_ Helping that beast? Was it a dog? What was going on so suddenly?

Hermione's cat had darted out of nowhere and pressed something at the base of the tree that made it freeze. Draco, still screaming, disappeared out of sight.

"That's a grim," Neville said, shocked.

Harry hesitated by the motionless tree that the dog had dragged Draco under. He knew that he wasn't _supposed_ to get into dangerous situations, but his friend was in danger _now_ , and his father wouldn't want anything bad to happen to Draco either. There wasn't time- "Neville! Go find my dad, okay?" Harry heard Neville run off as Harry dove towards the opening in the tree. He knew that Hermione and Ron would follow, especially Ron since Harry was pretty sure Draco was still holding Scabbers. Just as he started moving down the swiftly darkening passage, he could _feel_ the tree start to move again above him. But he kept moving with a muttered, "Lumos."

Harry wished that he could send a message patronus like his father could. Why had he been practicing using it against a boggart instead of as a message? When was he really going to have to fight a dementor without his father around?

The path was very long as Harry, Ron, and Hermione ran along it hunched over, especially Ron. He could still hear them up ahead because Draco was screaming a lot.

"Don't lose Scabbers!" Ron yelled forward, which Harry thought maybe they wouldn't be worried so much about a rat right now.

"Is this going all the way to Hogsmeade?" Harry questioned aloud. It was awful running one in front of the other when the way was too narrow, hands touching the ground for balance when the ceiling was too low. Side aching from the running, legs following soon after. Harry definitely hdn't run this much since… at least since Dudley's crowd chased him.

"How did- Crookshanks?" Hermione asked, panting. Harry stayed silent and so did Ron. They definitely didn't have anything good to say about trusting Hermione's cat, so it was best not to say anything.

When the tunnel finally slanted up and then… ended they were in an old building that definitely needed to be torn down. Harry had though Spinner's End had been neglected when they had gone there, but this place was absolutely destroyed.

Even with his worry, Harry felt the need to move more cautiously when they were in the actual building, slow and listening. Draco's cries had died off minutes ago, but… of course that didn't _mean_ anything.

"I believe we're in the Shrieking Shack," Hermione whispered, probably feeling the same hesitancy that Harry was. Ron was silent as well. There was a lot of damage to the place that certainly wasn't caused by any kind of ghost Harry knew of.

Harry poked his head into what was set up as a kitchen, but there wasn't any furniture, whereas there had been a sofa and chairs in the first room, though they were admittedly battered. Or bitten.

The first floor was empty, so the trio carefully climbed the stairs.

Wands drawn, the three crept towards the first room on that floor. He heard Draco's heavy breathing. Harry knew that if the dog was this dangerous they might have to… well probably they would just stun it, but someone would need to kill it eventually, as awful as that was.

Throwing himself around the corner, wand raised, stunning spell on the tip of his tongue, Harry saw Draco alone on a bed as torn up as the rest of the furniture he had seen here, or worse.

"Harry run! It's Sirius Black!" Draco screamed.

And then the giant black dog in the corner was something- someone much more dangerous.

"Stupefy, Incarcerus, Petrificus Totalus," Harry cast. Ron and Hermione weren't far behind with their own. The Azkaban escapee blocked some with a wand he had from somewhere, but he still ended up flat on his back and bound.

"Are you okay?" Harry asked Draco.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Thanks," he said, holding onto his leg.

"You were bitten pretty bad," Harry said.

"I- thought I would be dead by now, so I'm- doing pretty well," Draco said. He still looked scared. Or numb.

Harry stalked over to their fallen captive, angrier than he had been in… maybe since the Dursleys. Maybe ever.

Sirius Black was still conscious, just petrified and bound. _Good_.

"You killed my mother and James Potter. Took my family away and I had to grow up with people who hated me,"

"But- you look like-" He could still talk.

"Why would you care who I look like? It's not like you cared about James Potter. He loved me and you got him killed."

"The rat!" Sirius Black screamed, twisting his head around. "Boy, hold onto that rat. He'll try to get away." The man was crazy. It wasn't really satisfying for a mad man to be held accountable for those deaths. Maybe he was crazy then too, and it wasn't exactly his fault.

"Do wizards have mental institutions?" Harry asked Ron.

"That rat is _Peter Pettigrew._ Lived as a rat for twelve years, haven't you, Peter? The years _I_ rotted in Azkaban," the man raved.

"That's crazy," Harry replied.

"Draco, stun Scabbers," Ron ordered.

"What?" Draco struggled just to hold the squirming rat.

"Harry's dad told me that rats only live a couple years, and he's right. But my family has had Scabbers for a dozen.

"You- think he's telling the truth?" Harry asked.

"Who are you?" Sirius Black rasped. "Why do you look like _him_?"

He wasn't sure why he was even answering, "Harry Potter. Son of Lily Potter and Severus Snape."

" _No_ ," the convicted mass murderer whom Harry was starting to think might just be… something else whimpered.

And that was when Harry's dad burst into the room. "Harry!" he called, screaming.

Harry turned, and at the same moment, a small, dirty man appeared, wand at Draco's throat.

"Draco!" Harry cried. "Dad, Black's innocent. That's Pettigrew!"

*****Severus*****

Severus stared at a dead man threatening his student, his godson, making it as dangerous to intervene as it was to do nothing. It was undeniably the Peter Pettigrew that he remembered, the _fourth_ Marauder by anyone's measure. With Sirius Black, Severus's childhood nemesis incapacitated in the corner.

"Expelliarmus!" came a different voice from behind him. Peter Pettigrew flew back, and his wand soared over to the newest arrival. "That's my dad's wand!" Neville Longbottom cried. _Neville Longbottom._ It was reckless and had endangered Draco, but it had worked.

 _Stupefy, Incarcerus_ , Severus silently cast, just a moment before Harry screamed the same spells, "Stupefy, Incarcerus, Petrificus Totalus." It was an intelligent order to be thorough but save the difficult to say spell for last until he learned silent casting. Their target turned into a rat just as the spells hit. Pettigrew the rat would be unconscious for some time after that. Fine. Easier to transport that way.

Severus turned back to the last arrival. _Neville Longbottom._ What would possess Longbottom to face the Whomping Willow? How had the boy even made the trip?

"Draco, are you okay?" the Gryffindor boy, timid again, asked his classmate.

"Fine," the Slytherin replied.

They were _not_ fine. Severus was _not_ fine. What untold horrors could such trauma do to these children and… Pettigrew was _alive_? Severus always endeavored not to live in denial of the facts in front of him, as… shocking and distasteful as they were.

"Is Black conscious?" Severus asked, weary of the life-threatening situations.

"Yes," came the mutter from the menace.

"So you're a animagus too," Severus summarized. Longbottom had described the grim-dog dragging Draco under the tree, and now it made sense. "It's how you evaded my detection spells and the spells in Azkaban. Confused the dementors as well." It did nothing to improve his mood that his traps were no more intelligent than those set by the Ministry of Magic. He needed to be better than the sum of those idiots. "So your little rodent friend is alive. Why should I believe that the two of you are not in league together for the deaths of fourteen people at least?"

"It was my fault. I convinced them to make Peter the secret keeper because I was too obvious. Then I went to confront Peter and he turned on me. I would _never_ hurt James," the prone brute protested. He spoke the truth, the terrible liar. "He was my _brother_. Better than blood. And I wouldn't do anything that might harm Lily or their son, _my_ _godson_. What did you _do_ , Snivellus?"

Severus might have had a retort if Harry hadn't been there. Now though, he had to transport a convicted mass murderer, the… apparent actual culprit who would need to be questioned, four Gryffindors too bold for their own good, and an injured Slytherin who was somehow involved. And Severus had other things that he needed to speak to Black about.

"Milly!" Severus called. Why didn't he think of her earlier when he was stunning a tree and running through that damned tunnel that had terrified him for most of his life? Why was there even a tree to begin with when the elves could have just taken Lupin somewhere actually secure where sixteen-year-old students could not waltz in.

Severus Snape was always calm in any situation. Except when he cared greatly for the people involved, and that was an increasingly widening circle. Attachment made him… was it weaker? In some ways, yes. He was distracted. In other ways, it kept him sane. A conversation he would never have with Albus.

"Yes, Master Severus?" the elf popped next to him.

"Milly, take this man to Spinner's End, and make him to look more human than corpse," he instructed, "But do not free him, or allow him to leave, or to be a danger to you, by whatever means you feel necessary." _Accio_ , he summoned the fallen wand that he assumed Black had once held.

"Wha-!" Black protested. No more intelligent than he had been as an adolescent. And just because he hadn't killed those particular people didn't mean he wasn't dangerous. In fact, if he didn't need to speak to Black about his family, maybe he would let the man rot in Azkaban until the courts figured it out. Because they had done so well with that those years ago. But he couldn't risk the idiot being kissed, especially before he could ascertain if the man could find that locket. And maybe he couldn't let someone who wasn't actually a murderer return there until he was certain.

"It's that or the dementors," he snapped and watched the man crumble. Anyone who had spent time around those monsters would do almost anything to not have to do so again. Severus hadn't been even that cruel to anyone in some time, but couldn't think of anyone more worthy. Even if the… _mutt_ wasn't a mass murderer. Dog, mutt, mongrel- there were definite possibilities.

"Fine," came a defeated voice. Black actually listened to reason and looked at the elf who popped them both away from that place.

"Thanks, Dad. Er- what do we do now?" Harry asked. What exactly had been the children's plan before he arrived? Though they _had_ dispatched Black admirably.

Severus grabbed a few pieces of wood and transfigured it into a metal box with a few small holes. He dropped the unconscious rat inside and sealed it well with additional wards. It wouldn't be escaping. Years ago if Severus had learned the truth, the rat would have been dead at this point. But now he was going to trust the government to sort out punishment? _Who was he?_

"We take Draco to the hospital wing, the rest of you back to the tower, and I have numerous people I need to speak to before the night is done. But don't think I won't be speaking to each of you about your recklessness."

That threat didn't cow any of them, even obedient Hermione Granger. He wasn't feared.

"I was dragged by a giant dog," Draco protested. How very Malfoy. But from his injury, Severus would guess that he was in this endeavor under duress. "And I might be dead except for them," he said more calmly. That was… not very Malfoy to admit.

Severus, weary of the night with much ahead and with Peter Pettigrew, unconscious in the unbreakable cage in his pocket, led the children downstairs, levitating Draco, blasted through the boarded-up door that he hated and was now entirely unnecessary, and took them all through the floo in the Three Broomsticks to the Headmaster's office. It was closer to the hospital wing than his own, and the old man would need to be involved, especially so that it would be sooner before Severus could wash his hands of the whole thing. Even vengeance ran sour sometimes.

He saw all the children deposited in the Hospital Wing for the night. It was better than the Tower for the Gryffindors. He would need to investigate wizarding therapy options for all the trauma Harry was undoubtedly keeping hidden, even though he walked seemingly happily at Severus's side. And another pointless discussion about not endangering himself would follow, which Severus was astute enough to realize was hypocritical, because the boy was doing no more for a friend in danger than Severus was doing for Harry. But the child was still thirteen. And the teenage Gryffindors had dispatched two adult wizards that day.

Regardless, and discussions would have to wait because he still had someone else he needed to see that night.

*****London*****

Hundreds of kilometers away, on shelves with thousands of other aimlessly swirling orbs, the newest sphere, there for less than an evening, went _dark_ , like a dim muggle light bulb blowing out. Fate is not always set.

 **A/N: So, you might notice that I left Remus out of another scene, just like with the train. There wasn't a full moon at the right time, and he wasn't vital to what I had planned. Also, I fully believe that a conscious Severus would have dealt with the impending werewolf issue in about ten seconds rather than completely forgetting that the full moon was coming. I hope you didn't mind the change, and I loved including Draco and Neville. Lupin will have some great (I hope) scenes in the future, as will Sirius and Severus.**

 **So, almost done with Year Three. Thank you all for all of the encouraging words. All of the reviews, follows, and favorites are really what keep me writing, so I thank you all dearly. I also posted a new story started on Christmas, "Happy Families are All Alike." Please check that out and review there too!**


	56. Chapter 56 Second Chances

Chapter-56 Second Chances

*****Severus*****

The children were safe in the infirmary, Severus reminded himself. Minerva had been called to join Albus in charge of the captive animagus, but before any information other than "This is Peter Pettigrew, don't let him escape or get kissed" (though Severus had the rat under numerous enchantments already) and "Sirius Black is relatively innocent," there was someone else Severus needed to talk to. And then she would talk to the Ministry buffoons.

Stepping into the green floo, Severus said, "1312 West Beaks St. E20."

"Severus," Dora called from her position on her sofa. She was wrapped in a blanket even though the room wasn't cold, and she was clutching the toy duck Harry had given her for Christmas. The television was on in front of her, the muggle-acclimated half-blood that she was, "I thought you needed to spend time marking exams," she said. "But I appreciate you invading my flat. _Anytime_."

Exams, yes. That was what he would ordinarily be doing that night, an unfortunate task that would be waiting for him later. "Dora, everything I'm going to tell you might be jarring, particularly hearing from me," Severus said, sitting in the space Dora had made for him.

"Okay… just go for it," she said, curiously but with a smile.

"This evening I and a group of students including Harry encountered and apprehended Peter Pettigrew. It… appears that he was the secret keeper for… the Potters, and that he was the one who killed those muggles."

"So… Sirius is innocent? Really innocent? You believe it?" she asked, tears already pooling in her beautiful dark brown eyes.

"I have hated the man since I was eleven. He nearly killed me once, and I'm still hiding him in my own house at the moment. Which I would appreciate you not telling your boss."

And then Dora was hugging him, "Thank you. I won't let him off the hook for that one, you know. But… thank you, thank you, thank you," she said before springing away. Wand in hand, she transfigured the dressing gown she wore into respectable robes. "Gotta tell Kingsley. Where should I meet you in Hogwarts?"

"The infirmary, I think," Severus said.

"Is Harry okay?" Dora asked alarmed.

"Only Draco was hurt, and he will be fine," Severus informed her.

"Good," she said, leaving for the Ministry by floo a moment later.

*****Draco*****

When Draco woke up next, he saw Hermione Granger sitting by his bed, not a person he would expect to see. Looking around, he saw that she was alone as well. So Harry didn't just come and drag his little friends along. Even more strange.

He was about to ask what she was doing when the girl spoke, "Happy Birthday, Draco. I hope you're feeling better. I know that the Hospital Wing is no place to spend your birthday."

"I- suppose it is my birthday, Granger. I'm just not sure how you knew or why you remembered," Draco said, sitting up, trying not to wince as he moved his leg. Hermione jumped up and arranged the pillows behind his back. That was… nice of her.

"I wanted to give you something," she said, handing him a wrapped package. It was definitely a book, and unsurprising gift from Hermione Granger, but he wasn't sure what he had done for her to merit a birthday gift.

Tearing open the package anyway, he unveiled the book inside that said, "Bobby Fischer Teaches Chess" on the cover. Draco wasn't sure who this person was, but it was nice of Granger to get him a gift. He had certainly never gotten her anything, or really ever done anything particularly nice to her, unless you counted a few civil conversations. He supposed she might feel guilty that he was in the hospital wing, but it was hardly her fault, and it seemed short notice to get a gift. She had planned this before, he would wager.

"Thank you," he said as politely as his mother had taught him, though he wasn't sure what his mother would think of this situation.

"Harry mentioned once that you like chess books, and this is a book written by perhaps the greatest chess master of the century or all time but- he's a muggle," the witch said, looking him in the eye, waiting for a reaction.

A muggle playing wizards chess- wait, "I- suppose it's right in the name, 'wizard's chess'. They'd have just called it 'chess' if it wasn't taken from the muggle's first, wouldn't they? I suppose muggles have played the game longer?" Draco said, amending yet another of his apparently long-held assumptions. That was Hermione Granger.

"Yes. It's the same except the pieces have to be moved manually," Hermione told him. "The game evolved overtime possibly with Indian roots, but has been more or less the same as it is today since the thirteenth century across Europe."

Draco found himself nodding and admitting, "I don't think I had even _talked_ to a muggleborn before coming to Hogwarts, knowingly at least. I suppose at a store I had probably talked to dozens of them, but not when I knew their blood status. I just assumed that everyone was pureblood, even though I knew that there aren't many of us. I've still never spoken to a muggle. At the beginning of second year, at King's Cross, I watched you say goodbye your parents, because I knew they were muggles, and I was actually… surprised that besides their clothes, they didn't look any different than anyone else," he confessed.

"Well that's… mature of you to recognize a different stand point than the one you were likely raised with," Hermione said delicately. She was getting better at saying the right things, not like when she first approached him to help her with spew because of his blood status. "You're very good at that, actually. Without you, I'd probably be making hats and socks and hiding them across the castle to try to free house elves, because that was right according to the world view I was raised with."

Not the turn of conversation Draco had intended, but it did make sense, with the present and all. He just nodded.

"But now I've really _done_ something. Professor Dumbledore has agreed to be a safe haven for any elf who manages to leave or is abandoned by her master for any reason. They will be protected, and can choose to bind themselves to Hogwarts in the… traditional way, or accept pay. And there's clauses for retirement and health plans for all of the Hogwarts elves. I don't know what I can do next, until I work at the Ministry someday, but I will keep trying, and I wouldn't have made any progress at all without you, so thank you," she finished.

"Thank you for the gift, Hermione," he said, saying the witch's name aloud for perhaps the first time. "I wonder if I could as for one more thing."

"What?" the girl asked curiously. Draco couldn't believe he was about to try this. She'd probably slap him for it. It was stupid.

"I just turned fourteen, but you've been fourteen for a while," he started. This was a bad idea.

"Since September."

"Turning fourteen used to be a big deal in the magical world. A few generations ago, it was considered becoming an adult- before that age was changed to seventeen. People used to take tests at around fourteen, which eventually became OWLs, and after the tests, they went onto study more if they wanted to and scored well enough, but everyone else was done. A few hundred years ago, most people used to just stop school and got married- start a family, married with kids at just about our age. Tell me, Hermione Granger, have you ever been kissed?"

"What?!" Hermione answered.

"It's a simple question. Pansy has been telling me for weeks that she's going to kiss me on my fourteenth birthday, to give me my first kiss. But do I really want my first kiss to be with _Pansy Parkinson?_ "

"I wouldn't know what's that like," she said, blushing. She was probably wishing she were anywhere else, but she _could_ just walk out of the wing if she wanted to.

"Well I _don't_ want it to be with Pansy, so I'm asking you, would you give me the honor of being my first kiss, Miss Granger?" That sounded smooth, didn't it? "And I admit I'd be curious if that would make me your first kiss as well." From her reaction, it definitely would be. Harry and Weasley just saw her as a friend but there were other boys at Hogwarts. He'd caught at least one of the Weasley twins staring at her sometimes. Which Draco wouldn't have noticed if he hadn't been watching the witch himself. _Not_ that she was the only girl he watched. He was a teenaged boy and that was… normal.

"I'm not exactly the type of girl that someone would ask like that. I'm the girl people ask for help on homework. What with the bushy hair, giant teeth, and worst, the bossy attitude," the witch said, chin raised.

"Don't fish for compliments- it's not attractive," Draco said, "You're pretty," though maybe she wasn't. Everything she had said was true. But she was… interesting. Enchanting. He wasn't saying that she'd grow up to be a Witch Weekly cover- his guess would be little Weaslette for that- so maybe he _had_ been spending time occasionally flying with the youngest Weasley and only female. She was still just a kid for now- "And you'd have gotten attention if you didn't have your bodyguards. Harry, Weasley, sometimes Longbottom too. If anyone approached you, it'd almost have to be one of them, because they're always around."

"What?" She was too brilliant to be this slow. Sooner or later, one of her best friends would realize she existed, and it would be impossible for anyone else to have a chance. Not that he _wanted_ a chance, because he didn't. This was just a stupid, impulsive thing.

"I'm just asking for a kiss, Hermione Granger, not for anything more. What do you say?"

"What would your father think?" the girl challenged.

Yes, what his father thought had meant so much to him for all of his life, hadn't it? "I'm- honestly pretty sure that he used to kill muggles just for- for fun. He associated with those who did. So I would not be letting him know. It's also why I couldn't ask you for more than a kiss, even if I wanted it, which I don't." It wasn't very polite, and maybe it wasn't even true.

Draco looked up as Hermione stood from her chair. She took one step closer to him and leaned down. She placed a quick kiss on his cheek.

"Not what I was asking for, Gra-" and her mouth moved again, gently brushing his lips with hers, pressing into him, silencing him. Perhaps five second later, she backed away.

"There. Happy now? Happy Birthday," the girl said, staring at her feet.

"When you grow up and have half a dozen Weasley kids, I'll hold it over his head that _I_ got your first kiss," Draco warned with a barely managed smile, trying not to show that he was breathing more heavily and not because of his injury. It was just a kiss, an impulsive request that didn't mean _anything._ A request that Granger had granted for some unfathomable reason.

The girl blushed, "What makes you think I'll marry Ron?"

"Eh- most bets are that you'd end up with Harry, but that doesn't feel right. I'd guess the Weasel. Well, that or married to no one by your _own_ choice, and you just really love your job and probably also get a lot more cats," Draco smiled, heart still beating far too fast. "But I think you'd want someone eventually. And definitely a wizard, because you don't want to go back to the muggle world. Also, there's six eligible Weasley males so it didn't seem like a terrible gamble."

"Goodbye, Draco. Have a good summer. Make sure that you're the same person when you come back to school."

"I'm afraid to go home," Draco admitted aloud. It was apparently time for sharing... "I was last summer too. The first summer I didn't really know enough to be afraid."

"I don't know how to help, but I think you should talk to Professor Snape. He gives good advice," the witch said, and slipped outside of the curtain around his bed. Draco could hear her steps echo around the empty room until she opened the door to the wing and shut it behind her.

*****Dora*****

She hadn't slept in over a day and a half, but she would see this through. This assignment was hers. And everything was moving faster than she had ever seen in the auror's office. Pettigrew was questioned and being held in a secure place, not Azkaban, since it was apparently easy for an animagus to get out, something they'd have to deal with. She privately hoped they rethought having dementors as guards altogether. There was some talk of it now.

The order to kill Sirius on sight had been removed, and no one had asked she or Severus where the man was, so she hadn't even had to worry about lying yet. A trial date had been set for Sirius and Peter Pettigrew, though the initial suggestion from higher up had been to have a quiet pardoning for Black and lock away Peter in Azkaban. Stupidity didn't learn from the past.

And now she was going to see him. To re-meet her cousin for the first time since she was a little girl.

There he was. Sirius looked a lot better than the pictures she had seen of him. He was clean with hair cut evenly just above his shoulders. But too thin and pale, paler than she would have expected for a homeless fugitive. But dogs probably didn't tan.

"I'll just- give you some time," Severus said, and she knew he was speaking to her before he stepped out of the room. She couldn't blame him for not wanting to be around.

"I can't be… seeing my baby cousin Nymphy so grown up and beautiful like her mother. Am I? No purple hair today?"

Dora wrinkled her nose at the name, "It's Tonks. Or Dora, I suppose. And I wore blue hair to work today- or yesterday but… not as much on my off time these days," she said.

"You've graduated Hogwarts already. Of course you have it's just… hard to put everything together sometime. What do you do then?" he asked.

She bit her lip. "I'm an auror. Excited to get put on a new team now."

"Ah," he caught on quickly for someone in Azkaban for about a dozen years, "Hunting me, were you?" he asked wryly.

Dora couldn't take it anymore, flinging herself at her older cousin. "I'm so sorry. I didn't believe it for years, but all the evidence. I-" She couldn't hate her big cousin Sirius forever, no matter what he had done. Even when she was trying to track him for her job, she wasn't sure if she really hated him. Family and childhood heroes both didn't work like that. He nearly fell over.

"It's alright, little nymph," he said.

"Don't call me that," she said, straightening and wiping her eyes. "And save all the sentimentality, because we haven't even brought Mum over here yet." It was selfish of her to take this time first. She couldn't pretend that this was Ministry business when he boss didn't even know she could find Sirius.

"Dromeda, would be so good to see her," he reminisced, not looking quite there.

"Are you okay? Comfortable here? Milly will get you whatever you need, you know. But you had better be grateful and not go snooping." That seemed to bring him back.

"Yes, Miss _warden_ , I'm behaving. How do you know Snape anyway? I would have expected him to bring Dromeda if anyone."

"He's my boyfriend," she said, eyebrow raising daring him to comment.

"What?!" Sirius yelped. "But he's… old. Really old. Like me- I'm _old_. And he has a kid that should be- _how?_ "

"We've dated for almost two years. It was my idea, and it's a long story which _you_ don't get to judge me for," she said firmly. "Especially after an incident in your sixth year involving near-death by werewolf, one of your supposed best friends. I'm an auror, Sirius- do you want to try to explain to me how that _isn't_ attempted murder? Even as a minor, people have served time in prison for that." He wouldn't have seen Azkaban for it with his family, whether they liked him or not, but he probably _would_ have been expelled if it had been brought up fairly.

The wizard before her wilted, and he had looked pretty pitiable before, "I was an idiot, and that was one of the memories that haunted me most during my time in Azkaban. I still don't know why he didn't just send me back there for spite," he said.

"Because he wouldn't. And you should tell him that," Dora told him, reaching out to hug her big cousin again. "And I still love you, Sirius. Sorry for believing you could do… all that to your best friend."

*****Severus*****

Severus sat at his desk, marking exams of his students, knowing that there were hundreds of adolescents running around the castle with no responsibilities and additional delight that there were no longer dementors lingering around the castle's edge. At least most of the castle had vacated the castle to loiter around Hogsmeade one final time for the year instead. Severus was relieved that Harry his friends decided to forego the event. And so Severus was in a dungeon marking papers. It was some lingering sense of academic integrity that stopped him from simply scrawling a letter on each paper that he thought the student deserved. No one would complain especially if he guessed generously.

What was he supposed to give Miss Lovegood when the second year showed potions intuition far beyond her years, but in the very next paragraph went on about how the potion in question could also be sprinkled around to ward off _nargles_. The little witch had him researching magical and muggle creatures just to confirm that nothing by the name of nargle was mentioned anywhere except her father's… colourful publication. It wasn't a mystery where she got _certain_ traits from, but he doubted the editor of the Quibbler had the potions insight his little girl did, or there was a talent wasted.

Severus scratched through the offending sentences and scrawled an "O" at the top of the page. It wouldn't stop her from writing more nonsense on her next assignment. He was too soft.

Severus looked up to a quiet knock on his door. Perhaps a first year with a question about the train. First years were asking him more questions this year.

"Come in," Severus called, hiding his distaste.

Instead of a first year Slytherin, waiting for him was a third year Gryffindor, perhaps the only one who would knock so timidly.

"Yes, Mr. Longbottom?" he asked.

"Er- sir, so I have two wands now and… I don't know what to do with one of them, sir."

"I am sure that your grandmother would find a place of honour for your father's wand," Severus told the boy.

"When I got my new wand, I thought it was the greatest thing ever. Doing everything I wanted without… fighting me."

Severus nodded, "A common occurrence when one finally has a fitting wand." Hadn't Severus explained that to be boy months ago?

"But when I got my dad's want back, it works well now too," the boy said, confused. "I don't- want to give either of them up." _Ah._

"Wand lore is a mysterious magic best left to a small selection of true experts," Severus began, pondering his words. "But it is widely accepted that wands have some qualities that are personified for the sake of clarity." The boy looked confused, "Wands, at time, seem to show will, to express acceptance or defiance to an owner."

"Yeah, I get that," the boy said. "Mr. Ollivander says that the wand chooses the wizard."

"Winning a wand in a duel sometimes encourages… acceptance. Mastery of that wand. It would not be completely accurate, but one might say that the wand now respects you as its master."

Round eyes stared back at him. "So- you think my dad would be proud of what I did?" the boy asked. Such a Gryffindor skipping the details and jumping to that equivocation.

"I imagine as an auror your father performed a number of similar acts. Your father and mother both defied the most powerful dark wizard of the generation multiple times. Which was why they were a target for his followers," it wasn't precisely true, but he wouldn't tell the boy that the lunatics were after the child himself. "It is possible that the wand _saw_ , so to speak, familiar actions in you."

"Thanks," the boy said, nodding with a sad little smile.

Unable to leave it at that, "However, as a father myself, I am quite certain that yours would be more concerned for your _safety_ than anything else. Children who wish to remain safe should not usually face the Whomping Willow, much less a mass murderer."

The boy nodded but grinned at him still, "Thank you, sir. But… what should I do about the wands. Can I keep both of them, or is it illegal to have two wands or something?" the boy asked.

That was something worth considering. Olivander's wouldn't sell a second wand to a wizard without evidence of the first one being destroyed. But there were other ways to get a wand, usually from relatives, but some second hand stores might have less strict standards. He himself kept his mother's wand, though not on his person, which was likely a mistake. He had never personally had need of one, but that would not necessarily always be the case.

"I do not believe anyone would begrudge a boy a keepsake of his father," Severus said smoothly. Ownership was a vague concept to begin with. Families kept dozens of old wands. "I suggest you procure a wand sleeve or holster for each."

"Thank you, sir."

*****Harry*****

With the excitement of everything with Scabbers and Sirius Black, there really wasn't much left of term except for waiting for exam results. Harry did well on all of them, even Arithmancy, which wasn't really his favourite class, but it did seem better than Divination sounded. What was most different was at the end of the year, nothing bad happened with their Defense professor. Take _that_ , curse! Harry even wandered over to Professor Lupin's office on the last day of term to congratulate him, and maybe to ask if he was going to stay in the castle over the summer. They had had a nice cup of tea together over Easter.

But when he got to the office, Harry found Professor Lupin… packing. And not just some stuff for the summer, Harry was pretty sure. The entire office was empty.

"Are you- packing up everything, Professor Lupin? Most teachers just take some of their stuff when they leave the castle for the summer. Or they just stay here…" Harry said casually, though he was pretty sure that Professor Lupin knew exactly what he was doing.

"I will not be returning in September, Harry," Professor Lupin said.

" _Why?_ " Harry asked, caring more than he would have expected. Professor Lupin was a good teacher. "I mean, each year something bad has happened to the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor and they… left," well Quirrell was dead and Lockheart was fired but still, "But nothing bad happened with you."

"But it could have. Worrying each month that I would be a danger to the students around me. Albus has said that I may return any time that I wish, and perhaps I will. This has been the best year I have had in… a very long time, Harry."

"But… what are you going to do now?" Harry asked. Was that a private question that he wasn't supposed to ask?

Lupin looked around once more before answering, "In the last week, I have been spending a considerable amount of time with Sirius, helping him acclimate to life again, preparing him for his and… Peter's trial, that after speaking with the Headmaster and your father, I have no doubt will end in Sirius's favour. Harry, I now have something I never thought I would have again, one of my best friends returned to me. I- wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't heard it from your father himself.

"Maybe I'll see… you and Sirius again then," Harry said, looking around at the empty room.

"I hope so, Harry. I hope so," Harry's former professor said.

Sooner than felt possible, Harry found himself on the train with Ron once again, and Neville too, glad that he wasn't carrying a heavy trunk like everyone else was. Harry rarely thought about the Dursleys now, except on the train ride to London, but he was glad that he wasn't going back to them, glad that his father was just at the front of the train and would probably make rounds, maybe even buy them food from the cart. Harry never seemed to need all of that pocket money his father kept giving him.

" _About time_ , Hermione. I thought you were going to be late. What took you so long?" Ron asked as Hermione slid the door closed behind her. Harry knew Ron had been worried for her, but it wasn't like one of the teachers couldn't have just let her floo to the station. The whole train ride was more for bonding anyway, Harry suspected, but he was still glad that she made it in time.

"I was in a meeting with Professor McGonagall and Professor Dumbledore."

"What, why?" Ron asked.

"I'm so sorry Ron, but I've dropped Muggle Studies," Hermione rushed out, "I can still help you when you need it, but it's just too many classes and Muggle Studies can be reading intensive at times. I wanted to get rid of the Time Turner."

"S'Alright. It's not like you needed the class. You could probably teach it better than Professor Burbage. The time turner was a cool bit of magic though. Shame you had to give it up. It seems like something that might be useful if we got into a bit of trouble."

"We are better off trying to stay _out_ of trouble," Hermione reminded, "And it was just too much work, too much to worry about. It was only a matter of time before everyone else caught on too. And I was only using it a couple of hours a week when I had classes at the same time, because I didn't want to do it for extra study time or sleep or it would seem like too much of an unfair advantage, and I didn't want to age myself. And now Professor McGonagall has it arranged that all of my fourth year classes will be at different times since I dropped Divination and am giving up Muggle Studies,"

"Hermione, I don't even want to _think_ about fourth year classes yet," Ron groaned. Harry was content to listen to his friends talk and wonder what his summer might be like. He hoped that Dora would have more time to come over now that they knew Sirius Black wasn't really a mass murderer. After his trial was over, surely she'd have more time.

"I've told you, it's never too soon to start thinking about OWLs."

"Hermione, they're not for nearly two years!" Ron replied.

"Still…"

"I want to think about summer. World Cup's coming up you know. Dad can usually get tickets from work."

"Sounds cool!" Harry said, finally joining the conversation when quidditch was mentioned. All four teenagers were startled out of their seats at the rapping of an owl on the train window. The small animal was struggling to keep up with the train and buffeted around in the wind. Harry quickly slid down the window and sat back as the owl zoomed around the small compartment. Closing the window, Harry turned to the owl who wasn't responding to Hermione's calls to come down. Standing on the seat by the window, Harry took a small jump and carefully closed finger's around the tiny owl as if it were a very delicate snitch. Wrestling a letter off of the owl's leg, he released the creature to fly around the compartment again. Harry read the letter aloud, only fumbling at a few more personal parts.

 _Dear Harry,_

 _We didn't get to speak much before, so I wanted to write you after I had some time to think. Thinking seems to take longer than it did when I was young. And my conscience sounds remarkably like Moony. If your old man's around, tell him thank you. I did want to tell you something that I hadn't had the nerve to tell him- I was the one that sent you the Firebolt at Christmas. The cat delivered the order for me, but I could use money from my Gringott's account- the goblin's care more about gold than about who might be wanted by the Ministry._

 _I snuck onto the grounds to see you play a quidditch game once. You were so high up in the air and wearing Gryffindor gear, I didn't notice that you looked different than I expected. I know it's not fair of me to judge you on something that I can't control. I never wanted to be judged by my blood relatives and yours… well, your old man could've put me through hell and didn't. Moony's talked to me about a lot of stuff in the last few days. I never thought I'd get to just talk to him again. I'd like to tell you more about us sometime, the happier memories at least. I'm still your godfather, kid, and I'll do my best to never forget it. If you ever need me, send an owl, or the man can get hold of me._

 _Padfoot_

 _P.S. I thought your friend might like to keep this owl, as it's my fault he no longer has a rat.* Moony picked him out since I'm still stranded._

It was easy enough to decipher that 'Moony' was Professor Lupin and 'Padfoot' was Black. Harry looked over at his friend to see his mouth dropped open, "Really? For me? To keep?" Ron reached up a long arm and grabbed the owl more easily than Harry could. Harry saw his friend inspect the owl closely. Then, to Harry's shock, Ron held out the owl for Crookshanks to sniff.

*"What do'you reckon?" Ron asked the cat. "Definitely and owl?"

Crookshanks purred.

"That's good enough for me," said Ron happily. "He's mine!"*

All three children laughed and had a good time for the rest of the ride. They played a few games each of exploding snap and gobstones, which greatly interested both Crookshanks and the young owl, though Harry was glad Hedwig was back at Hogwarts, because he thought she was probably a bit too dignified for exploding snap.

Harry helped both of his friends and their pets off the train, smiling when he saw his dad, hovering near the train but not hurrying Harry as the Weasleys and Grangers converged on them. Harry gave a casual nod to Draco Malfoy as he walked past, which was returned in the same way. He thought Draco might look a bit extra nervous heading over towards his parents, but shook off the idea. He'd probably see Draco again that summer anyway. He hoped the boy had liked the sweets that he'd sent to the hospital wing for Draco's birthday.

"Oh, you boys grow so much," came the voice of Mrs. Weasley. Harry noticed when he was enveloped in the same hug as Ron. "You too Hermione, dear, such a young woman now."

"And my newest graduate!" she shrieked, catching hold of Percy and hugging the young man who towered over her, though he wasn't the tallest of her sons.

"Fred, George, the house is just too quiet without you, though I expect best behavior this summer, young men."

"Of course, Mum."

"Always on our best behavior, Mum."

"Then you had best get _better_ best behavior, boys," Mrs. Weasley scolded, though anyone knew that she loved all of her children dearly.

"Ginny, dear, don't run off," she called. "We're about to leave." Harry noticed how much Ginny had grown too. She wasn't a little girl who could hide behind her mother anymore, since she came up past the woman's shoulders now. And he didn't think Ginny would want to hide as much now anyway. They didn't really talk much except at quidditch practice, and less as Ginny played chaser.

"Bye, Harry," she said as she walked past without stopping.

"See you later, Harry, Hermione," Ron called as his family walked toward the gateway to muggle London. Hermione was waving goodbye as well as she and her parents crossed over.

Harry walked over to his father, sad that he wouldn't see his friends as much in the next months, but still excited for the summer. "I'm ready," he told his father. The man held out his hand and Harry grabbed it. Harry felt squeezed through the now familiar but still uncomfortable tube of apparition that would take them back to the Hogwarts gates to begin their summer.

 **A/N: End of year three! Tell me what you think, as this is a great place to review! I was thinking that I would need to take a break here, but I have managed to pull all of the summer together already, thanks to you wonderful motivators! The scene with Hermione and Draco simply demanded to be written. They are just fourteen-year-olds trying to figure out life and the world around them.**

 ***Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, p. 434 and some of my favorite lines, especially when Ron presents his new owl to Crookshanks.**


	57. Chapter 57 Master's Locket

Chapter 57- Master's Locket

*****Severus*****

Against his better judgment, Severus allowed Harry to accompany Dora and him to Spinner's End to meet with the mutt. He had explained it all to Harry again, how he hoped that at the Black ancestral home, they could find and destroy the horcrux, perhaps in hope that then Harry would no longer feel the need to be involved, but that was not the case. Of course, it didn't mean that he would have to tell the mongrel as much as he had trusted his thirteen-year-old son to know.

"Hey, Harry," the mutt greeted. Milly had managed to make him halfway presentable. The robes seemed to have come from Hogwarts, plain student robes without insignia. Severus was glad that the man wasn't wearing anything of his. And Black did look better- less crazed. From Milly and Lupin both, he assumed. "Good to see you. Remus has been telling me how great of a student you were. Best defense marks in your year, did you know?" That was… pleasant if unnecessary information for Harry to hear. The child didn't need the inflated ego of knowing precisely the standings at all times, especially as he surpassed Miss Granger in Defense Against the Dark Arts and Charms.

"No, I- didn't know, but thank you," Harry said politely. "Hello Professor Lupin," the boy greeted as the wolf walked into the room.

"Oh, just Remus now, please, Harry. I am no longer your professor, after all."

"Thanks, Remus."

"Now, what brings you all today?" Lupin asked. "Checking on your lovely home?" he asked as if Spinner's End was worth watching. Though perhaps it was nice by the wolf's standards, an idea that made him less comfortable.

Severus looked at Black, "Your brother stole a locket, a locket once owned by Salazar Slytherin, in fact. For reasons I won't be telling you, it was of strategic importance to… Tom Riddle," he had hesitated for more than a breath's time over what to call the mad man.

"Who's Tom Riddle?" the idiot asked. Though it wasn't common knowledge.

"You-Know-Who," Dora jumped in to assist. He wouldn't call the man the Dark Lord any longer, but he was not foolish enough to speak the fabricated name, or willing to be ridiculous enough to say a fear-ridden moniker. Everyone had a birth name that was good enough for them, and Riddle would find it most insulting.

"Who- oh. So I thought he wanted out, but he just got caught and killed over nicking something old and expensive. Why would that matter to me?" the mutt said, aloof, looking around. Even worthless dregs like him must have cared about a younger brother in some way at some point in his life.

Severus had never liked Regulus. Several years their junior but trying to make friends with powerful people. In re-examination, not unlike Peter Pettigrew. The boy joined the Death Eaters when he was asked while he was still in school, a sixth year. But when Regulus grew up, he also grew a spine. Perhaps his last years at Hogwarts, without many other future Death Eaters present, or his older brother for competition, was good for him. He died not long after his graduation, never moved out of his mother's house.

"It wasn't a matter of the items historical importance, but an artifact that Riddle imbued with power vital to his survival past apparent death. And your brother wasn't a coward who wanted out. He was a troubled young man who overcame his fear and hate and _changed_ , and sought to destroy the most powerful wizard of the time." He'd said far too much. He might as well have said "horcrux" because he'd described them nearly in their entirety. Black just irritated him so much that he wanted to defend his fellow Slytherin. Because house sorting somehow bonded fellows even after graduation, a reliance that those like Riddle took advantage of, unfortunately.

"I knew Reggie didn't go all bad," Sirius said quietly, looking down at himself.

"Then perhaps you shouldn't have treated him like shit from the moment he was sorted a Slytherin. Or maybe for all of your life."

"I did n-" Sirius started but lost steam. Maybe the old dog was broken. Or he just had other concerns. "Why are you telling me this? Don't tell me it's for brotherly amends. What's the point if my little brother is still dead?"

" _Riddle_ isn't dead and has attempted already to regain power. He will try again. I need to make sure the thing, this real locket, is destroyed. And since it requires a very particular method… I doubt Regulus was able to do it, despite best intentions. I am ideating that if he left the place he acquired it alive, it would be in your old home."

As Severus said it, the flimsier it felt. If Riddle found out that Regulus knew about the horcrux, he would have recovered it and re-hidden it somewhere else. If Regulus never made it out of that lake, then the horcrux should have been able to be summoned, and Severus had tried. He did not fancy taking a swim with the inferi to double check, but he would manage something if it came to it. He should have done so already. But Regulus couldn't have gotten the locket alone, so there was another… perhaps he died trying to destroy the thing?

"Fine, I'll take you there," Sirius Black grumbled. "Hate that place," he muttered.

"Can we go now?" Harry asked, speaking up. It was definitely a mistake to let him come even this far.

"I could- stay with Harry if you prefer," the wolf offered.

"I don't need to stay behind," the boy said confidently. Pleadingly.

"Is your house perilous to be in?" Severus asked, staring Black in the eyes.

"It was when I was sixteen and walked out of that house for the last time. But my mother's been dead for almost a decade, so it's been empty since then, I suppose. And I heard she was going even crazier before the end. I don't think the Malfoys could have found it, and maybe wouldn't want the associated… publicity of the Black family anyway."

"Harry, you may come, but be very careful. Step only where someone has already stepped and touch nothing that someone hasn't already touched, understood?"

"Yes, sir," the boy responded happily.

"I'll floo first and examine the wards then, shall I? Make sure I'm not blocked out too, or we'll have to do some different travel." Black made an unusually sensible suggestion that Severus would, of course have insisted upon a moment later. But if Black has a secure house that he hadn't even attempted to visit while he was on the run or confined to Spinner's End… he truly must hate the place. "Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place" he said, and disappeared into the flames without issue. So he wasn't exiled from his childhood home as thoroughly as he had made it sound to the whole school when he was sixteen. Or there was not much care in the wards since the last residents died.

"I'm Tonks," Dora introduced herself to Lupin, an introduction Severus had neglected. "I'm glad Sirius has you to look after him."

"Remus. And, it's more than I could have hoped for. And really, it's Severus looking after both of us. And Milly, wonderful house elf, and Hogwarts as well."

Two minutes of silence followed before Black's head appeared in the fire. "Come on through," he said before removing his head from the floo just as quickly. It was necessary to have Dora as support destroying the horcrux, and the mutt was needed find it for them- if it was there at all- but he was going senile, letting Harry come, and the wolf as well.

For all that the place was clearly expensive, it looked worse than Spinner's End had before Severus first had Milly clean the place. Severus lit his wand to see more clearly, a vulnerability he disliked as it would hinder spell casting. Even by the bright wand light, he couldn't guess at the colour of the walls, they were so covered in dust and cobwebs- and likely the nests of more than just spiders. Wallpaper, which explained the inconsistent colouring. How could a vertical wall get so filthy? Severus did not want to even approach the curtains. Black was looking around with an unpleasant expression.

Severus looked behind him and saw a book smoldering in the empty fireplace. "Did the book offend you?" he asked dourly.

"Needed something to start a fire with, didn't I? You can floo into an empty fire place, but not out of one. And it's just a book of genealogies, one I knew wouldn't be cursed. No big loss as far as I'm concerned." Black was consistent in his hatred, Severus would grant him that.

Harry came through next. It was a good floo trip for him, with the boy ending considerably cleaner than the house he was in. He did, however, knock over the stand of fire pokers as he stepped out of the fireplace.

" _Who dares enter the noble and most ancient House of Black?_ " came a booming, unpleasant, old female voice. Severus already had his wand drawn, and a glance at Black showed the man looking like… a muggle seeing a ghost. Or perhaps even a dementor.

" _No_ ," he whispered, running out of the room. In the decrepit house towards the unknown voice alone, the idiot. Did he even have a wand? Probably picked one up somewhere.

"Keep Harry safe," Severus yelled as Tonks came through the floo before taking after the mutt.

He found Black easily, standing a laughing in front of a portrait. "Of course you would find a way to keep yourself around, Mother."

 _Ah._

"My _son_ , my oldest little boy. I _knew_ you were not lost to the family. Such a brave thing you did, coming to serve our Dark Lord. I would have preferred indirect involvement, of course, the giving of funds, political influence perhaps, but you are out now- how? Has he returned and freed his loyal servants? Has your dear cousin Belatrix been freed as well? Such a nice girl, a pity you wouldn't marry her. Rodolphus was _never_ good enough for her," the old, dead witch rambled.

Sirius Black laughed harder. He seemed as crazed in that moment as the papers had said he was. Of course, now, even with his trial not for more than a month, the papers were convinced that Black was the perfect, long-suffering soul that needed a good woman to make him forget those tragic years. They also seemed to remember that the last Black alive would be quite wealthy. Dora had laughed over the articles.

"I was framed. I would never join that bastard."

"No!" the painting hissed.

"Yes!" Black shouted back. "Don't worry, you won't have to see me long. Hate this place. But before I leave, I think I might give you a proper burial. Never got to with your real body. Or perhaps a ceremonial _burning_."

"KREACHER!" the portrait yelled. Severus wondered if Black's childhood was actually as bad as his own, despite all the riches. At least he had loved and been loved by one parent.

An ancient, hideous house elf popped into the hallway. "Mistress, what can creature do-? Filth! Kreature will throw the filth from the house for Mistress!"

"Nope, nope. _Mistress_ is dead. I am your master, and you're not throwing me out."

"Nothing more dangerous than a portrait and a house elf?" Dora asked from the doorway.

"Come in," Severus agreed reluctantly. It was better to keep them in sight. Especially when the house seemed less empty than promised.

*****Harry*****

Harry curiously entered the new room in the strange house.

"More filth entering great Mistress's house!" the house elf Harry had heard from the other room yelled.

"You said the house was empty," Harry's dad said to Black.

"Well, it is of living people, isn't it? Didn't think of the elf, and if I did, I would have thought it had its head mounted on the wall years ago. Family tradition, don't ask. The creep was old when I was a teenager. Look how well it's kept up with the house cleaning."

The house elf that they were talking about barely looked more like a normal house elf than it did a… goblin or something. It- _he_ , Harry thought, though Harry had noticed that Black had only called the elf an _it_ \- looked way worse than Dobby, and Harry knew that Dobby's owners had hated the elf.

The elf, Kreacher, had settled down to muttering, and Harry wasn't sure that he wanted to hear what the elf was saying.

"Hello, Kreacher, I'm part of the Black family too. I'm T- I'm Dora," Dora introduced, maybe avoiding her surname. "We'll leave just as soon as we find something that Regulus might have left here. Can you help us?" Dora tried more kindly than Black had been talking to the elf.

"Who are you?" Kreacher asked suspiciously.

"I'm Sirius's cousin's daughter."

"Did Belatrix have a child?" the painting asked amidst the wailing. "How long have I been dead?"

Black laughed, "Thank Merlin old cousin Bela never procreated. Not sure she ever let Rodolphus ever so much as touch her. And now, she's still rotting away in Azkaban where she belongs. No, Dora's 'Dromeda's girl." That started the portrait crying again.

"Mistress, how do I purge the filth from the house?" Kreacher whined. Harry thought he must be pretty old because Milly could get them all out of a place if she wanted to pretty quickly.

"No, no, we're not leaving. Your _Master_ says so. And _Mother_ is not part of this conversation. Because she is _dead_. _Silencio_ ," he cast at the portrait and stalked back the way they came. At his father's nod, Harry followed. It seemed unwise to insult the thing that the house elf clearly respected, but Harry wouldn't be happy if he found a portrait of the Dursleys that would yell at him, so maybe it was like that.

"You is breaking into Mistress's house and wanting to steal from Master Regulus," the elf summed up somewhat accurately, but not quite.

"It was something that Regulus wanted destroyed, and we have a replacement," Harry spoke up.

"Who are _you_?" the decrepit elf challenged.

"I'm- nobody," Harry said. On the chance that the elf knew his name, this didn't seem to be a good house to mention it in, since he sort of somehow defeated the Master that they seem to respect, if they wanted help from the house elf. And the elf knowing where the horcrux was would be the easiest way to find it in this cluttered trash heap.

"Kreacher, can you help us find a locket that would look somewhat like this one?" Dora asked. "Show him the locket, Severus. You brought it, right?"

Harry's dad brought out the fake horcrux, and Kreacher reacted immediately.

"I tried to follow Master Regulus's wishes. I did. Kreacher could not destroy the locket. Kreacher _failed_ ," he nearly screamed the last part. The elf lunged toward the fire pokers that Dora had knocked over again after Harry had, but from dealing with Dobby, Harry knew what to expect.

"No! Don't punish yourself," Harry ordered, even though the elf had no reason to listen to him. "Sirius, tell him not to do it," Harry said, calling his… godfather by his first name. Harry didn't really think about it much, but this man was supposed to be his godfather, like his dad was to Draco, around when he needed him. Except Harry needed someone for ten years at the Dursleys, but he really didn't need anyone else now. But Sirius Black still seemed to need a lot of help.

"Kreacher, I order you not to hurt yourself but to tell us everything you know about this fake locket and the _real_ one that they want."

"Master Regulus always liked Kreacher," he shot a glare at Sirius Black. "Master Regulus had served the Dark Lord for a year. And Master Regulus said he required… an elf," Kreature explained, and Harry noticed the elf start to rock back and forth, eyes wide, glancing at the fire pokers. "Master Regulus volunteered Kreacher, and it was an honour, a great honour. Master Regulus had just graduated Hogwarts and was back home with Mistress after Master Orion had passed when Master Regulus was still in school. Master Regulus said to do… whatever the Dark Lord wanted and then to c-come home."*

Kreature started to cry, words becoming breathy.

"The Dark Lord didn't tell Kreacher what he was doing, but he took Kreacher to the sea, to a hidden cave with… a terrible lake inside. And a boat… and a basin full of potion, poison, on the island. The D-Dark Lord made Kreacher drink it…" Harry had heard what had happened with his father and the headmaster in that cave, but hearing the terror of the house elf made it so much more…

"Kreacher drank and drank, and saw… heard… terrible things… and the burning… Kreacher cried for Master Regulus to save him. Master Regulus always cared for Kreacher. Kreacher cried for Mistress too but the Dark Lord only laughed at Kreacher. He made Kreacher drink all the potion… He dropped the locket in the empty basin and… filled it with more potion. It was just a test. And then he left, leaving Kreacher alone on the island… which was terrible but better than with him. And the thirst!"

Harry swallowed, his throat feeling dry now too.

"Kreacher needed water, but when he dared in the madness to crawl to the dark lake… hands, dead hands… dragged Kreacher under the surface…"

Harry wanted to ask what happened then, but couldn't come up with the words.

"And when Kreacher had water the darkness was a little clearer and then he left."

"What?" Harry asked. "How did you get away?"

"Master Regulus told Kreacher to come back," the elf said blankly.

Harry looked at his father instead for explanation.

"House elf magic is very strong, especially when following a master's orders. It is also underestimated and therefore not planned for by people like Tom Riddle."

"What did Reggie do?" Sirius Black spoke for the first time in a while.

"Master Regulus was worried, very worried for Kreacher and ordered Kreacher not to leave the house. Until… later, Master Regulus came to Kreacher one night in Kreacher's cupboard," Harry didn't like hearing that the elf lived in a cupboard. In a big house like this? It made him wonder where the Hogwarts house elves slept. "Master Regulus was not well, upset, acting strangely. He asked Kreacher to take him to the cave, the cave where Kreacher had gone with the Dark Lord."

"And he made you drink the potion again?" Harry asked, disturbed. He knew he shouldn't ask too much, or his father might get the idea that he shouldn't be hearing this story, and now Harry needed to hear the end.

Kreacher shook his head, "Master Regulus gave Kreacher a locket like the Dark Lord had, and said when the basin was empty for Kreacher to switch the lockets," Kreacher cried. From his increased sobbing, Harry was starting to get an idea of what to expect.

"And he ordered- Kreacher to leave- without him. And he told Kreacher- to go home- and never tell Mistress- but to destroy- the Dark Lord's locket. And he drank all the potion- and Kreacher did what he asked and watched… as Kreacher's Master Regulus… was dragged beneath the water." Harry's throat felt tight like he was going to cry, and he had never heard of this Regulus before very recently. He looked around and saw tears in Sirius Black's eyes, as well as Dora's and Remus's. His dad looked sad too.

"Kreacher followed all of Master Regulus's orders except Kreacher could not destroy the locket. Kreacher tried everything he knew, but it would not break or even open. Kreacher failed! Kreacher never before disobeyed an order. And Mistress was grieving, and Kreacher could not tell Mistress anything because he would not break more of Master Regulus's orders." His crying was uncontrollable now. "There is no more story. Kreacher failed."

Harry looked at all the adults in the room. Dora knelt in front of Kreacher but didn't reach out to him. "Kreacher," she said softly, "We want to finish that last job from Regulus for you. We know how to destroy the locket. Will you go get it for us? In return, we'll give you Regulus's necklace. I know he'd want you to have it."

Kreacher sobbed again, but popped away, returning only a few seconds later with a large, gold locket in his hand, holding it out to Dora, his other, empty hand also held out.

"Just put it on the floor, Kreacher. Do you know if it is safe for humans to touch?"

"Kreacher doesn't know. Master Regulus never touched it, and Kreacher has never let anyone else see the Dark Lord's locket."

"Thank you, Kreacher," she said, and handed the shaking elf his dead master's locket. Kreacher shook but bowed to Dora and looked around at the others with… not the same hatred and suspicion he had originally held. "Ready to destroy it?" Dora asked, turning to Harry's father.

His dad hesitated but then levitated the horcrux onto a table, and Harry knew what he had planned.

"So, did you bring the sword?" Dora asked. Harry had heard about the sword of Gryffindor from Dumbledore's office being used to destroy horcruxes.

"I need to procure a smaller goblin forged blade and imbue it with basilisk venom," his dad commented, pulling the famous blade from his robes.

"And deprive us from watching the Head of Slytherin smite the thing with Gryffindor's sword?" Dora teased.

In response, Harry's dad held the sword out to her.

"Me?" Dora asked, grinning widely. "Alright, my turn. No take backs," she said quickly, grabbing the hilt. "I just swing at it?" she asked.

"Everyone step back, but then, yes."

Dora raised the sword over her head and brought it down quickly with a scream. The blade hit the locket, glanced off, and dug into the table next to it.

"Sorry," she said, levering the sword out again."

"Never liked that table," Black responded.

"Not even a mark on the necklace though, and I hit it solidly. Magical blade not working today, or is it me?" she asked grumpily.

"There's a snake on it," Harry observed.

"Yes, well it did belong to Salazar Slytherin. Given to his second wife if I had to guess," Harry's father said. That made sense. The man's first wife hadn't had any children, and this was passed down in the family until Voldemort's mother had it.

Was he allowed to mention his parselmouth ability around these people- Remus and Sirius Black? Did he want to? "It looks like the one to get into the Chamber. You might try that," Harry suggested.

His father nodded, "Lupin, would you take Harry back to Spinner's End and take Black with you?" his father asked, almost politely. He could have called Sirius a name like mutt again.

"You want me to leave my house just when it's getting good?" Sirius asked. Harry felt sort of the same, but he also wasn't sure he trusted Sirius Black enough to show him parseltongue, and even if just his dad said the word, there could be questions.

"Of _course_ I cannot force you to leave your own house. It is fortunate that you have found a new appreciation of the place so you will no longer be needing mine," Harry's dad twisted.

"I could show you my room," Harry offered, wanting to distract them all. "And I can go back and get my brooms really quick, because the back is spelled that we could fly out there if we don't go too high." That got the man's interest.

"I'd love that, Harry," Black said, and he seemed earnest.

*****Severus*****

When the others were through the floo, Severus turned to Dora again. She needed to have a turn destroying a horcrux, to show that she was part of this too. That he trusted her. And perhaps the difficult enchantments around getting to the locket were the hard part on this one, and the locket itself was… not quite as sinister, other than housing a part of the evilest wizard of their time's soul.

"Thank you, Kreacher," Severus said, addressing the house elf whom he now understood a lot better. "We will destroy it like Regulus wanted. You need not stay for this part."

"I must," the elf said simply, looking saner and more determined that Severus had previously seen.

"Of course. Dora, I'll say the word to open it, and if it opens, you slam the sword down and slash it in half. And we shall both be ready for any other magical response. Are you ready?" he asked.

"As ever," she replied.

Severus hissed his approximation for "open" is parseltongue, and heard a click, as the large locket opened imperceptivity and closed again. But if he had felt anything bad coming from the locket before, Severus couldn't remember because of the overwhelming unease that he felt for that fraction of a second the thing was open. It was most similar to being in the presence of a dementor.

"Should I-?" Dora asked.

Magic didn't work opening it, but the parseltongue word had- sort of. It wouldn't stay open alone. It hadn't hurt the elf to touch it… or perhaps it was responsible for turning the elf mad. Severus conjured two thick handkerchiefs, impermeable in any way he could think of, and gripped the locket with them around the seam.

He hissed the sound again, and forced the thing open. Terror, hate, insecurity emerged forth like an entirely negative pandora's box. He looked down at the locket, wondering if there were images inside, but finding instead… what appeared to be human eyes behind a covering in each half of the locket.

And then, somehow, it started to speak, " _You seek to destroy me, but I could be your best friend, know your very soul and tell you what would bring you true happiness_."

Dora edged forward, sword raised.

" _Yes, you want to come closer,_ Nymphadora. _I see that now_."

"Stab it!" Severus said, horrified that he too had been listening to the silky voice.

"Move your hands," Dora shouted back.

" _Yes, you wouldn't want to hurt the man that you- do you love him? Are you sure it isn't-_ "

"It will _close_ ," Severus panted back, unreasonably struggling with keeping the locket open.

" _an unhealthy fascination formed in your childhood? Your_ teacher _was he? I can see his soul too, even clearer. He held obsessive love for a dead woman for a decade, loved her for longer than that while she lived. He still loves her now. There will never be any room for you. He doesn't need another silly child to raise."_

"No!" Severus shouted as the locket opened wider of its own accord and began burning his hands with the smoke coming out. He finally released the thing and fell back. Images were forming in the smoke, coming together like an evil patronus. "STAB IT," he screamed once more.

And she did. Severus heard the sing of metal against metal, a loud, long scream that petered off and Severus was reminded of the diary. For the third horcrux at earliest, with a smaller part of Riddle's soul, Severus had expected it to be less… fearsome. But he shuddered to imagine what the thing would do with more time around them, learning their deepest thoughts as they sought to destroy it.

"None of it was true," Severus heard himself say. Because it wasn't, not really. Some of it had been at one point.

"I know," she said weakly.

Kreacher the house elf was still there and stepped forward and bowed to Dora. "Kreacher will serve young Mistress Black in honour of Master Regulus. Can Kreacher get you anything, Mistress Black?" the old elf asked solemnly, perhaps standing a bit straighter.

"It's- I'm fine now, thank you, Kreacher," Dora said, perhaps finding it not worth correcting the elf on her name. Kreacher probably knew that her surname would be Tonks and chose to ignore it in his decision to respect her. The elf looked once more at the destroyed horcrux and popped away.

"I haven't thought of you as a child from the moment you broke into my quarters to-" Severus hesitated over the wording.

"Pull your head out of your arse so you could be the amazing father I knew you could be. I know. Still nice to hear though."

Severus crawled forward ridiculously, and Dora wrapped him in a hug. "I don't love her, Lily, anymore. Not like that. I was so angry after- discovering Harry, wondering if she knew and hid him from me. But I am not even angry any longer. I will always mourn for my only childhood friend but- not like that anymore."

"Thank you, Severus. Even though I wasn't asking for it. I'm not trying to erase your past."

"You are… fascinating," Severus settled on. It didn't suit her well enough.

"I know I'm incredible. I mean, I just destroyed a horcrux."

"I have destroyed two," Severus reminded her, smiling. Her happiness was infectious.

"Oh, you've known that you are incredible. And if you didn't, then shame on you for not listening to me," she smiled and kissed him.

Another horcrux had been destroyed. And though they had no viable leads on what to do next, Severus could ignore that for the moment.

 **A/N: Another horcrux down! I have had a firm plan for each of the horcruxes for a while, but I'm curious to know what you think will happen next with them, so please review and let me know. I had to reread so many chapters of different books to bring this chapter together, but it was very fun. *Some of Kreacher's story was taken directly from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, p. 195-200. I find it interesting how good Kreacher's grammar is.**


	58. Chapter 58 The Tournament

Chapter 58- The Tournament

*****Severus*****

For their anniversary that year, they went to a muggle cinema- because Dora seemed to like her television so much… and perhaps because it was something Severus never got to do as a child, and he was… curious. Dora guided him through the process and insisted on buying the cinema popcorn, which seemed to be an overly salty, buttery food of no real substance that cost outrageous amounts, but… it did taste rather good. Severus couldn't remember much of the movie, but Dora had watched it attentively. Severus had spent more time watching her.

The next week went as quietly as could be expected. Dora's team in the aurors was working on preparing the Peter Pettigrew case and was expected to be disbanded to their regular duties that summer. Already, Dora was working no more hours than an auror would usually, giving her quite a bit more spare time. Which Severus enjoyed. And of course Harry did as well.

Despite his good week, Severus was not hopeful when he was called to the Headmaster's office. It was no better when he saw that the other Heads of Houses were already present.

"And what have you gathered us here to announce? Found a new Defense professor yet?" Severus asked, taking the remaining seat.

Severus was surprised when Albus began, "Well, yes, I have. However, I think there is something else you will find much more interesting." Severus was always fascinated simply that Albus could find someone willing to take the position each year. "Talks are still ongoing, but it appears that Hogwarts will be the host of the first Triwizard Tournament in over two hundred years!" Albus Dumbledore announced proudly.

"Surely a tournament that was discontinued due to an excess of student _deaths_ should remain just that?" Severus remarked, heart rate elevating. Completely needlessly of course. Harry wouldn't be so foolish…

"Severus, it is only expected that you would be worried for your students, particularly your son. However, there will be numerous new safety measures in place as well as an age requirement to be considered for the competition. Only those seventeen or older would be eligible under the last proposal of changes, which I submitted myself."

Severus was intending to object that his son was not the reason for his concern, but why bother with the lie? A seventeen-year-old age line seemed a logical first step if this… competition were to be held. With it in place, he only had formal responsibility for the safety of his seventh years and some of his sixth, depending on the time of determination. Were any of them likely to be chosen? Severus wouldn't have admitted it, but the current seventh year Slytherins were not a particularly impressive group.

"Oh, but Albus, my students won't like it if the competition is only every five years, so most of them never have a _chance_ to compete," Minerva spoke her Gryffindor drivel- as if risking one's life for glory and _money_ was an opportunity that no student should be denied.

That sounded all the more reasonable. He didn't think Harry would put his name in for such a thing, but eliminating the option was the best measure.

"I am sorry, Minerva, but it does seem to be a reasonable requirement. Parents wouldn't object," Pomona spoke up, and Severus chose to nod in acknowledgement.

"And how would that affect normal Hogwarts activities? It will be a major inhibitor to studying, especially for our seventh years taking their NEWTs. Though I do confess, I believe the tournament sounds quite enjoyable," Filius spoke up.

"A sixth year competitor would be excused from his or her final exams, but surely preparing for such a competition would be valuable education that would prepare any student for NEWTs in a very unique way," Albus answered.

"It will surely make for an interesting schedule, balancing Triwizard events, Hogsmeade weekends, and quidditch matches," Filius went on.

Albus nodded, "Which is why we have decided that in deference to our foreign guests, it would be most courteous to suspend quidditch play for the year."

"What?!" Minerva shrieked. She was easily the most quidditch obsessed- though Severus had had his moments in the past. His enthusiasm might have been dampened slightly by his house competing against his son.

"Minerva, I would think you would be the last to object, with the Quidditch Cup remaining in your possession unchallenged for another year. If anyone, _I_ should be the first to object," Severus reasoned.

"Well, that is entirely- entirely beside the point, Severus. I am only considering the wishes of the students." Severus was warming to the idea of a break from one of the leading cause of injuries in Hogwarts students, second only to stupidity.

And regardless of what any of them thought, this plot of Albus was clearly what was already happening, informing them being only a formality, and they might as well accept it. And it didn't seem overly objectionable.

"I am sure the students will enjoy will quite enjoy the tournament. I get quite excited just talking through logistics with our soon to be visiting Heads of Schools, Professors Maxime and Karkaroff," Albus said.

"You _can't_ be this mad!" Severus declared, standing to his feet. It wasn't normally something he would say in front of an audience but… the shock had surprised him when he had been warming to the idea. He had known that Karkaroff had been working at Durmstrang for years but hadn't exactly kept up, had no idea that the spineless man had become _headmaster_.

"Severus?" Pomona asked.

"You can't be _considering_ allowing Igor Karkaroff on these grounds!"

"I believe you overestimate my power in this matter, Severus. I am only in equal standing with Headmaster Karkaroff, when there are multiple schools and governments involved. And I believe in second chances," the Headmaster added in his irritating voice of wisdom.

"Igor Karkaroff was never a changed man. He was a coward who sought to save his own skin. The Karkaroff of a decade ago was not a significant threat, but as you say, people change. Particularly when they have the support and leadership of an institution with a reputation for fostering the _Dark Arts_."

"Then, Severus, I will be trusting you and our new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor to keep an eye on our guest." It was a diversion tactic that was pure Gryffindor blatancy, but it was effective nonetheless.

"Who is it then?" Severus grumbled, returning to his seat. He might just have to visit Igor himself.

"I believe we will all feel safer with esteemed retired auror," Albus began. Severus just had time to think, _NO_ , again fiercely, "Alastor Moody as part of our staff."

None of the Heads of Houses said anything. It had been rumoured for years that "Mad-Eye" Moody was slipping. Though Dora thought otherwise, and her opinion meant more to him that the sorts of rumours that circulated Hogwarts and the Ministry. No, the Headmaster was the mad one in the discussion, and if Severus was actually weighing the possible merits of Alastor Moody's presence, he wasn't far behind in this madness.

*****Severus*****

"You're going to let him go right? The whole mass murderer loose coming after him excuse doesn't so much apply anymore." Dora asked as Severus stepped into his quarters. He also noticed Harry looking at him expectantly.

What was she talking about? He hadn't even mentioned the Triwizard Tournament yet, and that didn't quite fit anyway. And Harry was _always_ in danger. Severus would not allow himself to forget that there were plenty of Death Eaters who did not end up rotting in Azkaban. Like himself. But mentioned that around the boy seemed more fear-mongering than helpful. "What?" Severus asked instead.

To the Weird Sisters concert that my parents gave me tickets for for Christmas. It's finally coming up and I want my second ticket to be for Harry. You can't turn down a _gift_. Because I know _you_ wouldn't want to go with me anyway, and because it is an excellent opportunity to broaden his view of the wizarding world. And _art_."

The last comment was clearly only to rile him, but Severus chose not to protest her categorization of "art." Severus undoubtable suffered for there being few sounds in his childhood home other than the television news and screaming. Severus had turned to books and potions rather than audio or many visual arts. And if Severus trusted Harry with anyone other than himself, it would be with Dora.

"Provided that neither of you resemble your normal selves, _and_ do not display metamorphmagus abilities in this outing, I will not object," Severus said reasonably.

"Cool!" Harry chimed. "Like going in under cover."

"You're confident that you can do that, Harry?" Severus asked. Displaying metamorphmagus tendencies was as obvious as showing his famous scar, and perhaps less easy to miss.

"Yeah, yeah, I do it all the time," Harry said. At Severus's disbelieving eyebrow raise he said. "Stuff like… hiding pimples and stuff- just for practice. But I can do whatever," he said quickly, embarrassed. The child was fortunate to forego that awkward skin stage… that never seemed to end.

"Good, then."

"Now, what was your secret meeting with Dumbledore about?" Dora asked. "I come to visit only to find you gone. Better be good- horcrux stuff?" she asked.

Severus wasn't sure yet how much he should tell Harry about the upcoming tournament. It didn't particularly affect him. "Albus managed to procure yet another Defense Against the Dark Arts professor," Severus said, looking at Dora.

"Oh, did he really say yes?" Dora almost… giggled. "Harry, you're in for an interesting year. He only agreed for the one year, yes?"

"Harry, retired auror, Alastor Moody, one of the aurors who trained Dora, will be your teacher. Albus didn't mention if he only intended to stay for a year but… I think we all expect it at this point."

"An auror- cool! Is he great, Dora?" Harry asked.

"Responsible for _dozens_ who are in Azkaban. And I'll give you a tip. People always say don't ask about someone's scars, yeah? Well, old Mad-Eye loves it, and he has a ton of them that you really can't miss. He's also missing an eye, a leg, and some of his nose. Says whether he came out ahead or not, each was an important lesson."

"Cool!" Harry repeated, because that did seem like the height of impressive to an almost fourteen-year-old. But if Moody wasn't actually mad… no one could prepare those children better.

*****Harry*****

"Am I going to have to speak at Sirius's trial?" Harry asked. He had just recently decided to call the man Sirius instead of "Black" though the man had said to call him Padfoot, and that he'd need to tell Harry about that sometime. But it seemed to Harry to be pretty obvious that it was about his dog paws. And Pro- Remus was Mooney because of being a werewolf, and Harry had once heard Sirius call Peter Pettigrew "Wormtail" which would be about his rat tail, but also seemed pretty sinister. A rat didn't seem like a really great animagus, but maybe Pettigrew was just giving the animal a bad name. After all, a lot of people didn't like snakes either, and Harry had liked every snake he had met.

Harry wondered what James Potter's animagus form was, because if his friends were, he probably was too. Thought Harry didn't think Remus was… but maybe after turning into a beast every month, he wasn't interested in turning into an animal other times.

"As far as I know, those creating the case defending Black do not intend to call you. And I do not expect those defending Pettigrew to be trying particularly hard- or to find your testimony meaningful, as you were not alone during any of the activities."

"But- they could? Don't they have to tell me ahead of time to let me prepare?" Harry asked. That seemed right. Though he'd never really seen a trial happen, muggle or magical.

"They may call anyone they wish, but I am more likely as an adult and an… acquaintance of both Black and Pettigrew. Ronald will be ready to testify, as will Percy as Pettigrew's previous owner. Draco may be called as well, as he was alone with Black and Pettigrew for a time. I would say even Lon- Neville is more likely to be called than you," his father explained.

"But if I am asked?" Harry asked.

"You will be old enough to be required to speak if called upon, but as a minor, I would be with you through the process. You would simply need to tell the truth about your encounter, and it will end in Black's favour."

"You're sure?" Harry asked.

"The Ministry is already quietly offering reparations, hoping to keep Black relatively quiet. The papers are behind him too. At this point, half a dozen Ministry officials should be grateful if they don't lose their jobs. Fudge is doing all he can to blame everyone in the previous administration." That did sound better than Harry had feared. He still hoped that he would not have to speak.

*****Harry*****

When Harry wanted something, his dad was pretty easy to win over.

And even if music was never something that had been very important to Harry, he was thrilled that he had been who Dora had chosen to take to the concert. She had said that it wasn't his dad's sort of thing, and Harry could understand that, but Dora did have other friends that she could have taken. She mentioned them sometimes, people from work or Hogwarts. But she had asked Harry, and she was really excited about it, and her excitement was sort of infectious.

Dora was short and had long, blond hair, with blue eyes and a narrow face that looked nothing like her own. Harry hoped that his disguise was as effective. He had gone for short, light brown hair, a small nose, and a rounder face, and brown eyes. He had been having trouble looking totally different, so he had decided to assume Neville's appearance and make changes from there, instead of starting with his own face.

And Harry was supposed to answer to "Perry," which Harry thought was a little extreme, but he would humour his father.

The area around the stage was as big as a quidditch pitch, and Dora dragged Harry right to the front. She must have used her abilities to wedge through some of the crowd, but she kept a firm grip on Harry's hand.

"It's worth it to be at the front," she screamed, because the crowd was loud even before the music started.

"We don't have assigned seats?" Harry asked.

"Nope," she called back.

The crowd was dressed pretty interestingly, some in bright colours, some with black hair and heavy black make-up, even the men. Dora would have fit in better with her pink spikey hair. Mrs. Weasley definitely wouldn't like this place. He was glad that he had let Dora talk him into the purple robes, open with the Weird Sisters t-shirt and jeans visible under them, so at least he fit in pretty well that way.

The setup was interesting and a little strange. On the stage was the set of drums and several guitars, but also a cello, a lute- he thought that was what it was at least, and a bagpipes- set of bagpipes- whatever they were called.

Harry already knew from some of Dora's band shirts and from what she had said that the Weird Sisters weren't women or related to each other, but some very hairy men with ripped up robes. The crowd, including Dora, went crazy when they came on the stage, and Harry did sort of too, halfway because Dora was still holding his hand- to make sure he didn't get lost. One of his friends like Ron would be embarrassed for being treated like a kid, but Harry didn't mind.

"Who's your favorite?" Harry screamed, wondering if Dora could hear him until she yelled back.

"Donaghan Tremlett, but I love a bass player," she said, pointing to a man holding what Harry had thought was one of the electric guitars. Or maybe they were magic instead of really electric- Hermione would probably know.

When they started playing, Harry just enjoyed getting into it and screaming along, even if he didn't know the words.

 **A/N: This chapter was hard to get out, and it turned out shorter than I wanted, but I hope you like it! I was thrilled to reach 900 reviews and over 800 favourites. Thank you all!**

 **I almost wrote a little bit about Harry and Severus going to see the Lion King, but found that sadly that wasn't released until October 1994 in the UK. Please imagine that happening anyway though- I picture Severus being appalled that there was such tragedy in a children's movie and then not thinking highly of Timon and Pumba, perhaps likening them to Marauders.**


	59. Chapter 59 Birthday and Family

Chapter 59- Birthday and Family

*****Severus*****

"We're going to Diagon Alley today? Did you get my school list early?" Harry asked.

"That's not what we're going for," Severus said, turning around.

"Where are we going?"

"Gringotts. To the Potter vault," Severus said. It wasn't his favourite idea, but it was the easiest way to accomplish his goal.

"Why?" the child asked.

"To find a spare wand that we can hope will suit you," Severus replied. "Older families sometimes keep wands there." And if they weren't there, Severus wouldn't know where to look and would need to pursue less… legal options.

"Oh, that makes sense. Ron sort of has three wands now," Harry said. "Do you have a spare wand?" Harry asked, so full of questions. Which didn't bother him but…

"My mother's," Severus said. He had taken to keeping it on his person as well, a reckless oversight that he hadn't been doing so for years.

"And does it suit you?"

"Not particularly well, but a well-practiced wizard can use any wand," Severus said and Harry nodded.

"I'll get my key," Harry said, running off to his room. He was a responsible boy. Becoming a young man, really.

Severus did not care for the goblin carts, but Harry enjoyed the process.

At their destination, Severus ignored the piles of gold piled higher than his head, and indicated the trunks in the back. He didn't expect a "light" family to have significant warding, but one could never be too careful, so he checked them all, but found nothing amiss.

"I found them," Harry said from one trunk over. Should I- bring them all?" Harry asked.

"They are yours to do whatever you wish," Severus reminded him. He should have brought Harry here sooner, to see if anything meant something to the boy other than the gold, because Severus wouldn't let Harry use that until he was of age at least- and likely graduated from Hogwarts as well, because Severus could provide for them just fine. Housing after graduation would be a small issue- Severus wasn't sure how long Harry would be happy at Hogwarts, or how long he could stay there without Albus having an issue with it. There was Spinner's End, or Severus could pursue another lodging. When did children move out of their parents' home? Dora would know when. She must have moved out on her own almost directly after graduation, because she had her own flat by the time-

"What?" Severus asked, he had missed something Harry said.

"Then I want you to test the wands too, to see if one suits you better than your mother's," Harry repeated. It was… possible. In fact, James Potter's father was a rather accomplished potion maker, though he preferred more lucrative endeavours over research, as far as Severus knew, making his fortune in grooming products.

"If you wish," Severus agreed.

"Do you- know which one was my mother's?" Harry asked, looking at the dozen wands in front of him. Severus handed him the familiar wand, willow with a unicorn hair inside, wondering if it was Albus who took care of such matters. He should check on some of those things now- should have years ago. "Do you- want to try it?" Harry asked.

Severus smiled at his son, "I do not think it would work for me. But I believe it will for you," he said. "Just wave the wand without thinking of a spell, like you did for Ollivander," Severus instructed.

Harry nodded and waved the wand, smiling widely at the sparks that flew out. "I like the feel of it," Harry said, and Severus thought again that the child had good intuition with magic. Harry picked up each of the others to be certain, before sitting back and examining his mother's wand. "You should try now," Harry encouraged.

It was easier to humour Harry than disagree, because he had no good reason. But the first wand he picked up felt better than his mother's. Which wasn't surprising; they were never much alike. Interested, Severus tried them all and found the best suited wand and examined it. A reddish wood, mahogany perhaps. Severus wondered what the core was, but didn't know the proper spells to determine it. It did not look… entirely unlike James Potter's, but it couldn't have been the same. There were a handful of other, similar-looking wands as well. Evidently the Potters were sentimental about wand keeping, but not wand re-using. Better for the young witches and wizards. It wasn't the same wand, though neither would he be showing it to Remus or Black.

"Thank you, Harry," Severus said instead, and decided that an ice cream treat or a butterbeer would not be remiss.

*****Harry*****

Harry's birthday was the best except for Christmas. His presents were amazing as always. Cakes and fudge from Mrs. Weasley (and Hagrid too, which was nice of him, even if Harry didn't intend to eat it). Sweets and little things from some of the other professors too. His dad got him some cool books, _more_ pocket money, and some quidditch tickets, just for the two of them, to a game on a Saturday in October, and his dad would take him away from the castle just for it. Harry wasn't sure if this was breaking rules, since it did have teacher and parent permission, but Harry wasn't going to go around talking about it just in case. Tonks had gotten him a shirt for each team, the Tornados and the Magpies, so Harry could decide which to support.

Best, his dad agreed to let Harry go to the World Cup and sit in the Top Box with the Weasleys. Ron's dad had done something special at work and got the greatest tickets as a special thanks, and they even had one for Harry. Tonks and his dad had bought tickets somewhere else in the stadium and they'd be with Harry except for the game. Overprotective, Harry thought, but he didn't really mind. At fourteen, he wasn't supposed to like that parent stuff, but he still.

And his friends would bring even more gifts to his party. Well, his and Neville's joint party actually, which made it even better. It was a great idea that Harry had suggested and Neville said he liked too, since Neville's birthday was just a day before Harry's.

Harry didn't want it to be too big or be just the whole Weasley family, since it was Neville's party too, so he just suggested Ron, Hermione, and Draco, as well as whomever Neville wanted to invite.

Neville was fine with that and only asked to add Ginny. He said he would have invited Colin too, but the younger boy and his family were having their first vacation in… a long time, the first since his parents had split up. Harry hadn't even realized that… that happened to Colin, but when he thought about it, Colin had mentioned his dad a few times but never his mum. Harry was glad that Neville had Ginny and Colin then; he had noticed that sometimes the three of them had hung out, even outside of their occasional defense practices. Maybe Neville was the type to be more comfortable with the younger year.

The party was great. Professor Sprout showed them around Greenhouse Five. It sort of felt like volunteering for extra school, but Neville loved it and the plants were cooler than greenhouses one through three that Harry had visited before. It almost made Harry curious of what was in greenhouse seven.

Then, they went to Hogsmeade, and the visit mostly turned into showing Ginny their favourite places and walking quickly past the Shrieking Shack, now with an extra boarded up door from where Harry's dad had blasted it open. They had lunch in The Three Broomsticks, and Harry liked seeing Ginny try butterbeer for the first time.

And then finally they went flying. Harry wasn't even going to suggest it, because the only time Harry had seen Neville on a broom… it hadn't gone well. So Harry was surprised to see Neville flying around better than the reluctant Hermione. But then again, Harry had only seen his class's first flying lesson, since he was excused after he was put on the quidditch team. Harry was glad that Neville had gotten better since then and seemed to be enjoying their party.

Dinner was practically a feast provided by the Milly and the other kitchen elves, ending with a large cake with both Neville and Harry's names on it.

Every year Harry thought his birthday was the best, but this one was definitely up there with the rest.

*****Severus*****

Miss Weasley was simple to send home by floo, but of course not everything was so easy. So now, Severus was escorting Miss Granger home because despite Harry's request, he did not care to be responsible for a nearly fifteen-year-old girl along with four fourteen-year-old boys. There were far too many hormones in that room already. Unfair for the girls, perhaps, but it was his son's room.

"I could get home on my own, really, Professor," the little girl who didn't nearly reach his shoulder was insisting. The underage witch not allowed to use magic outside of school grounds trying to convince him to let her run off on her own... And do-gooding Miss Granger might be hesitant to break such a law to use magic, even under duress.

"And how would you accomplish that?" he said, indicating that she floo first.

"By taking the floo to Diagon Alley and then catching the Knight Bus. I've read about magical transportation. Or I could take the tube. Muggles get along fine."

"Just The Three Broomsticks," Severus reminded the obstinate girl instead. She shouted the name into the floo and he followed. A quick walk outside and the girl resignedly gripping his arm a moment later, and they had apparated to the alley where Severus had picked the girl up from earlier at her request. Just like before, it was empty.

"Thank you, Professor. Have a good rest of the summer," the girl called, dashing out of the alley.

"Miss Granger!" Severus snapped. Why was the girl trying to lose him? It was pointless with his longer, quicker strides.

"I will accompany you to your door, as I would expect any adult I left Harry in the care of would do," Severus said. She walked quickly and silently for several blocks until the flats around them turned into single family homes. It seemed to Severus that there were numerous places they could have apparated closer to the girl's house, but he didn't comment.

When Miss Granger hesitated in front of a nice, two storey house, he knew it was hers, but thought for a moment that she would lead him past it. The door flung open.

"Come inside, come inside," the pleasant looking woman called. A decade, perhaps even two his senior, he would guess, unsurprising for a career-based couple with a single child. His own situation was the… much less conventional one.

"I was just escorting Miss Granger home. I shouldn't stay," Severus said, though his curiosity was getting the better of him. It was only responsible that he investigate to make sure that there was nothing that Miss Granger feared in the house, particularly with her reticence to be home for the winter holidays, no matter what she attributed the reason.

"One cup of tea, please? We so rarely get to speak to adults who- well there was Hermione's friend Ron's father, but… is a bit difficult to get a word in around him, isn't it?" Mrs. Granger asked. She would be shocked to learn that Mr. Weasley was perhaps the quietest of the Weasley clan, though he did seem to get overexcited around muggles.

"Thank you, then," Severus accepted the invitation into their home.

Miss Granger slowly closed the door behind them, and was met by a hug from her father, "Good to have you home, sweetheart. You'll understand one day with your own kids."

"So good that one of her friends has a parent right there at Hogwarts," Mrs. Granger called from the kitchen. "Adds a bit of a touch of home, doesn't it? It's so hard to be without them. But you must know that yourself. I am sure you were so happy when your son became old enough to go to school with you. Did he go to a boarding school for primary school before Hogwarts? Perhaps your wife? No- I'm sorry- or, are wedding rings not a tradition in the magical community?"

If Severus was less dexterous, he would have dropped the hot mug of tea that Mrs. Granger had placed in his hands, but the woman barely even paused between questions, "Is there a magical primary school, or do the children go to norm- I mean non-magical school? They learn reading and maths somewhere, surely? What about their scientific education? Surely the advancements of non-magic folk in recent times haven't gone unnoticed? We are onto our _second_ personal computer, and there has been one for our work in the office for years."

So Miss Granger hadn't shared any of the unusual details of her friends' personal lives. Admiral, perhaps, but unusual. Most people loved a bit of gossip. Indeed, the girl's mother seemed… starved for information, most of which Severus was entirely unwilling to share.

"Children attend muggle school, or the parents school their own children in the home or with private tutors. Harry attended muggle school, as did I as a child," he said between quick sips of his tea.

"That sounds helpful- for grounding," Mr. Granger agreed. "Wouldn't want the children _floating_ away," he joked.

That only set off Mrs. Granger with more questions, "Is a flying broomstick a necessary part of being a witch? They have safety features, don't they, so students can't fall off or collide? We offered to buy Hermione a broomstick, but she said that it was primarily the students who played that game that sounded a bit like football but in the air. Is it very dangerous, Professor Snape? Would you allow your son to play it? I have been impressed with the concern for safety, sending home the permission slip for visiting the village?"

That told it certainly, the girl had told her parents nothing of her life at Hogwarts. She likely reported her grades, and that she had friends, even if she told her parents nothing about their lives… but nothing more. Severus drank the tea more quickly so he could leave without being rude. There was nothing sinister here, only nosy parents, and a daughter apparently unwilling to "share."

She talked more than Miss Granger, "Hermione tells me there are quite a few important historical sites there. Can- what are we- muggles- visit there like Diagon Alley? We would love to see Hermione for the weekend sometime, just for a few hours. There's nothing wrong with the village is there that should have made us not sign the form, is there? Hermione said that there are always an adequate number of chaperones."

"Mum, Dad, the professor needs to leave. It's still Harry's birthday and you're keeping him from his son," she said, which seemed to work instantly with her parents. "Let me walk you to the back garden where you can disapparate from, Professor. Thank you for taking me home," she said, briskly walking in front of him.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to take up your time with my questions. I just fret," Mrs. Granger called.

"Not at all. Thank you for the tea," Severus replied.

"I'm sorry," Hermione Granger hissed for the moment they were outside, leaving the girl's mother with her mostly unanswered questions.

"It is none of my business, Miss Granger," Severus said, thought the girl would doubtless talk to him about it now anyway, despite her previous now-apparent attempts to not have him visit her home. And for some reason he would comment anyway, "But it was my impression that you wished to tell your family _more_ about your life at Hogwarts."

"Oh, if I told them half of what's happened at Hogwarts, they'd want to keep me home, but I _have_ to learn about magic, and be with my friends, and they wouldn't understand," the young witch said in one breath.

Whatever her parents thought, the girl had to get a magical education, or she could be even more of a danger to herself and those around her.

"Be glad that you have two parents concerned with your safety," Severus advised. "And perhaps a few details of your personal life would not be remiss." Even if she left out a mass murderers disguised as a pet and a basilisk petrifying students, and trolls, a murderous teacher, werewolves… Perhaps the girl's parents were happier not knowing. Severus, however, did not have that option.

*****Harry*****

"But the World Cup is going to be great! Haven't been before, but Cannon's games are great, and the competition will be amazing!" Ron was saying.

"You can't even call what the Cannon's play quidditch, Weasley."

"Oh, like your Dragons are better? Who has a favorite _French_ team anyway? They are a clearly inferior league, and you just like the team because of the name. And your Falcons are _dirty_."

" _Strategic_ fouls are part of the game. They are nothing personal, and any real quidditch player would know that. You still think the players actually hate each other off the pitch? It's all for publicity." Harry was just surprised that Ron knew what Draco's favorite teams were. For two people who didn't even use first names, they knew a lot about each other.

Ron started again, "But anyway, like I was saying, we'll watching the World Cup from the Top Box because my father does so much good work and was owed some favours."

" _You-_ " Draco began but then just said, "What a coincidence. I will be there in the Top Box as well. But _I'm_ looking forward to the excitement at Hogwarts this year even more, don't you think?" Draco asked, looking at Harry like they shared a secret, except Harry didn't know what he was talking about.

"What's happening at Hogwarts that's special?" he asked.

"Unc- Professor Snape hasn't told you?" Draco asked, slightly uncertain now.

"Told me what?" Harry asked.

"Well maybe I-"

"No, no, no, Malfoy. You've gone too far. You _have_ to tell us now," Ron insisted. "And you know you wanna brag. Percy's been floating non-hints about something secret since he started at the Ministry 'few weeks ago, and my dad knows too."

Neville spoke first, "It's the Triwizard Tournament," he said.

Draco looked put out for not getting to tell, but it didn't make any sense to Harry.

"Blimey, really?" Ron asked, so he knew what that was too. Harry wondered sometimes how everyone knew so much more about the magical world than he did. Was he ever going to just be caught up?

"Yeah, my Gran knows a lot of people at the Ministry, and they like to gossip."

"What's the Triwizard Tournament?" Harry asked quietly, wondering when his dad would be back. Harry didn't think he would pop in like when Harry was a little kid, but he couldn't be sure.

The boys all started to speak at once, but Draco prevailed, "It's a completion between the three most esteemed schools in Europe, Hogwarts, Beauxbatons Academy of Magic, and Durmstrang Institute each have a single student compete in events, historically three tasks, until one is declared Champion, representing their school, essentially naming which school is superior. It was discontinued a few hundred years ago because too many students died," Draco informed Harry, because it seemed that the others already knew all about it. Harry was pretty sure that muggle kids- teenagers- didn't hear as much about death as Harry did.

"You gonna enter, _Malfoy_?" Ron challenged.

"Maybe I will. What about you, _Weasley_?"

"Yeah, reckon I would."

"Yeah, _sure_ ," Draco shot back, "What about you, _Neville_? Seems to me that in the shack, _you_ were the one who actually took down a mass murderer. Your _Gryffindor_ housemates- sorry, Harry, just captured an innocent man."

"I-I'd rather just watch. And Gran said they were going to only let students above seventeen compete anyway." Neville said, and Harry was honestly relieved. If there wasn't that restriction… maybe he would put his name in if Ron did, but now he didn't even have to consider it. Did that make him a coward and not really a Gryffindor? He'd enter if he could, _of course_ he would.

"Probably makes you the smart one," Draco said, surprisingly. "What about you, _Harry_?"

"I- my dad would freak out, but- I'd enter if I could. Not worth worrying about now though. Wonder who will represent Hogwarts though. D'you know when you have to be seventeen by, Neville? I wonder if any of the sixth years will get a chance."

"I don't know. Sometime before the first task, I'm sure."

"Fred and George would enter for sure if they could, but their birthday isn't 'till April," Ron mentioned sounding sad for his brothers.

"What about Lee?" Harry asked.

"Nah, his is like a week after the twins. Angelina's is in the fall though. October I think. Might be early enough."

"Well, she'll be pretty busy being quidditch captain," Harry said. He didn't really like the idea of his captain spending so much time and risking getting injured in a competition… which probably meant it wouldn't have been smart for him to enter even if he could.

"Harry! You can't talk about quidditch in front of the _enemy_!" Ron shot back. But he wasn't completely serious- Harry didn't think.

"As if anyone could have missed that anyway. And she was clearly next in line."

" _You_ weren't next in line for Slytherin," Ron pointed out.

"No, I wasn't," Draco said, but then he changed the subject right back, "Derrek and Bole are seventh years, but I don't see them as likely to be chosen. Pucey would be a good fit if his birthday is soon enough, but November might not be."

The evening went on with the four boys naming all the seventh and sixth years that they could and why the ones from their house were best.

*****Severus*****

Severus sat on the sofa, hot chocolate in his cup instead of something… adult and respectable. He was waiting for the boys to be asleep and his godson to come and talk to him.

His relationship with Lucius was… tense, and mostly silent. Each time he invited Draco to stay, Severus worried that his old friend would refuse. Lucius might have if Severus weren't the Head of Slytherin House. That was a strange position of power in their circles, more significant the older Severus's former students got. Severus never used those connections the way Slughorn did, but having the respect of important people while they were young… it was perhaps among the highest forms of Slytherin power. It was not as strong as devotion or fear, but also not as temperamental.

If Draco weren't to come and see him at all… Severus would be rather disappointed. They didn't often get to talk other than as professor and student, and he still enjoyed being Uncle Severus.

But he shouldn't have worried as the blond boy eased the door closed behind him and walked toward Severus, dressing gown thrown over his night shirt. It was more traditional wizarding wear than the sleeping trousers and shirts that Harry favoured.

"May I?" Draco motioned to the other side of the couch.

"Of course, Draco."

"Thanks for coming after us. I mean, I know you had to for Harry," Draco muttered. The fishing for reassurance reminded Severus of when Draco was a child, but he didn't mind the indulgence.

"You know that I would come for you too, Draco. You're my godson, and I am always here when you need me." That was more than Severus would have said when the boy was younger, when maybe he needed to hear it even more.

"I know. But you would for anyone. You did for Ginny Weasley."

"Yes, I would. But I would be more worried for you," he said. Though the Weasleys had a certain sort of quality that demanded to be acknowledged.

"I hang out with Ginny sometimes, mostly early mornings. Flying when no one else would be out there. Usually she brings Creevey or Longbottom or both." Now that… Severus hadn't known. He knew Draco left rather early from the Common Room several times a week, but it wasn't against any rules.

"That is nice," Severus commented.

"She's fun, and the others are fine."

"It is wise to have a wide diversity of friends," Severus said, feeling like that sounded like a nice sentiment, but it had never been a Slytherin one.

"So, Sirius Black is my mother's cousin," Draco said. Had this been what had really been bothering him?

"It is my hope that you will not be asked to speak at the trial, Draco. I will testify, and Ronald will be prepared to speak. His testimony being most relevant to the rest of Pettigrew's deception."

"I know. But- you know where he is, right? Sirius Black? And the dementors aren't looking for him anymore?" Draco asked. Was the boy scared of Black? Severus certainly couldn't blame him. The beast had just about broken his leg and dragged him for a few kilometers. Terribly emotionally scarring, even if Pomfrey could fix the physical damage relatively quickly.

"You don't need to worry, Draco…" Severus began.

"No, I'm not. I understand what he did. I just… wondered if I could meet him. He's family, right? I don't have much family. Grandfather Malfoy died… last year but we weren't… close. He scared me, and Grandmother Malfoy died when I was young. I never met my other grandparents and don't want to meet Aunt Belatrix. But Tonks… is nice."

And now Severus was realizing that Draco really should meet Dora's parents, and was even considering indulging him in meeting Black. Not that Sirius Black had ever been fond of his Slytherin relatives but perhaps after learning about Regulus… Draco could have been a Regulus Black, a fate Severus would do almost anything to prevent.

" _After_ Black's trial, in your next term, I will seek to arrange such a meeting. Here, and in the presence of Dora or myself. Though I am sure Dora would not mind taking you to meet her parents anytime, if you wish," Severus offered. He was a coward for not offering to take the boy himself.

"Thank you," Draco replied, not specific as to which part. Severus would not push.

"Anything else on your mind?" He asked instead.

"Not tonight, sir."

"Please, out of school I am still Uncle Severus. Or just- Severus, if you wish."

"Thank you, S- Thank you, Uncle Severus," the boy said. Good, the child didn't need to grow up too soon, and Severus did not hide his smile.

 **A/N: This chapter was pleasantly easy to write, and I enjoyed it. Let me know what you thought!**


	60. Chapter 60 World Cup

Chapter 60- The Quidditch World Cup

*****Severus*****

Severus knew that the Weasley family was starting their day quite early, hiking to a portkey to transport most of the large family as well as Miss Granger.

For himself and Harry, he had designed a later start, meeting Dora near the apparition point after he brought Harry side-along. They had a camping area adjacent to the Weasley family, in the event that this scheduling atrocity lasted long enough to require sleeping- something _else_ Severus shouldn't have agreed to.

By the time they made their way to the site, Arthur had managed to assemble two precarious looking tents and had a fire started, though Severus would have wagered that the children did most of the work, after Arthur had been going on previously about how this would be an exercise in operating without magic.

Severus had acquired a tent that required less effort, springing into place like a modern muggle tent that appeared to be designed for two people, but Severus had been told would be sufficient for at least four.

He entered the tent, followed by Dora, Harry, and at least one Weasley and Miss Granger.

Harry moved over to one cot, all of which were hardly sufficient beds, but Harry didn't seem to mind as he sprawled across it. Unsurprisingly, Ron Weasley claimed the closest cot, leaving one for Severus and one empty. For…

"You girls mind if I bunk with you?" Dora asked, freeing him from making that particular decision. He had intended to ask her… he just hadn't yet.

"We don't mind!" the little Weasley squealed. Severus hadn't even noticed when the smallest of their party had entered the tent, behind her twin older brothers.

"Can we sleep here? We don't mind doubling up," Fred asked.

Severus nodded his assent. If they were asking, the Weasley men's tent must be more crowded.

Fred Weasley set about transfiguring one cot into a more sizable bed, and doing it well, and with no concern with underage magic regulations, but with the Statute of Secrecy atrocities at the campsite, blatant underage magic violations in front of a professor seemed almost discrete. Dora kissed his cheek as she followed the younger females out of Severus's tent and into their own.

So Severus was sharing a tent with his son and the three youngest Weasley boys, and Dora was spending the night or multiple nights with two teenage girls. And there was no reason for him to feel… abandoned by that logical decision. There was extra space in the female tent, and those girls, well-behaved as Miss Granger and even Miss Weasley were ordinarily, could use supervision. It was clearly the only choice.

It was only troublesome that along with Harry, _his_ tent was now occupied with the high energy individuals of young Ron Weasley and the twins, though perhaps he wouldn't have preferred any of the others.

Severus exited the tent to find Ludovic Bagman striding towards their area. He considered going back into his tent. There were things he could be doing to make it more habitable in case they were stuck for days.

Severus had never cared for Ludo Bagman, when the whole world loved him. Bagman had been in school just a few years above Severus and he had to have been the most popular Slytherin to ever walk the halls of Hogwarts. He was dumb enough, but not quite the idiot he appeared to be. He had always had friends from all houses and in as high of places as he could reach, be they of Light, Dark, or neither, and he had the face of an angel to get him out of trouble- even after that face had been bashed up a few times. He could have played the part of a Hufflepuff. But if he had been, no one would have ever accused him of working with Riddle.

"Severus!" the man called, ignoring Severus's side step to avoid the man's arm that would have gone around his shoulder. "I have been hearing so much of you since young Harry came to Hogwarts. It's a shame that we haven't caught up sooner. I hear young Harry is a promising young quidditch talent himself, isn't that right, lad?"

"Thank you, sir," Harry replied.

"And I have always loved the Weasley family. Good to see you, Arthur."

"Oh, better to see you. Thank you again for such great tickets."

"Least I could do, least I could do. Care for a flutter on the match?" Bagman asked, and then went on as Severus tried not to listen about who had already bet him what on this game until Arthur threw in a galleon.

"Any other takers?" Bagman asked, looking at the children who were around Arthur and Severus.

"They are a bit young-"

"What about you, Harry?" the man dared ask, but cowered at Severus's glare. The man was a leech, spineless, irritating but largely harmless if avoided.

"Well, maybe not as young as Harry, sorry, lad. Any from the older boys? Your third son, is he, Arthur? Just started at the Ministry?" Bagman asked, indicating Percy. Bagman was good with details of personal lives, but he didn't know Percy's name, or he would have used it.

Percy was trying to look dignified as he considered the offer, when Severus knew that he had bet galleons he didn't have on Gryffindor winning matches before- minutia that Severus shouldn't know about a Gryffindor student but did regardless.

The twins were whispering aloud, unusual for them, Severus thought he saw a slight shake of the head from one or both. It was Fred who spoke up, regretfully, "No, thank you. There's some important things that we're saving for." A rather adult decision that had Severus curious. What were Fred and George Weasley planning?

Ludo Bagman laughed, "Arthur, you've got kids with good heads on their shoulders."

"Yes, I must," Mr. Weasley commented skeptically.

"What are you young men planning for your funds, eh?" the man asked.

"All manners of sophisticated novelty and prank related merchandise," Fred said, flourishing a wand- or what appeared to be a wand, but it wasn't Fred Weasley's- which Severus again knew for some reason despite wands seldom being used in potions class. The boy handed over the wand theatrically, and Severus wasn't truly surprised when the thing turned into a rubber chicken with a squawk when Bagman waived it. A rather good piece of magic, really, combining the noise with the transfiguration with a small wave.

"Excellent! The best I've seen in years. Why don't I keep this and call it a five galleon wager?"

Both boys nodded. It couldn't hurt their ambitions to show the product to the famous overgrown child, and the boys were not ignorant of that.

"What'll you bet on then?" Bagman asked.

"That Ireland wins," George supplied but then looked to his brother before finishing, "But Victor Krum gets the snitch."

Bagman laughed, and if the boys knew they were being laughed at, they didn't care. It was a rather strange bet, but Severus had seen stranger still results from quidditch, and it was memorable. The boys weren't actually losing any money, and perhaps making a new connection. A good move.

Bagman rambled more about Ministry business until Bartemius Crouch appeared as well, a man who appeared to have the same distain for Ludo Bagman that Severus held. Severus didn't know Crouch himself, but disliked him for better prejudice than he did Bagman. To do something like that to your own son… it would be one thing if it were for justice or the boy's own good, but Crouch's motives were only to attempt to save his floundering career. And the man had been part of Black going away without trial- as much as Severus hated Black and- to think that the man could have raised Harry- though even _Black_ might have been better than Petunia.

Bagman was trying to carry on this inane conversation about flying carpets until he decided to really get one on Crouch. "But I'm sure you're busy preparing for Sirius Black's trial. Sorting out why it didn't happen a dozen years ago." Crouch Sr. left as soon as possible after that, saying that he had to oversee mascot arrival, but it seemed like nonsense. Percy Weasley was wide-eyed, probably wondering if he should be following the Head of his department. But Crouch would be lucky if he were the Head a year from now. There wouldn't be any big show to admit the guilt of the Ministry. They'd let him get through the World Cup, probably even the Triwizard Tournament, as it would be an enormous amount of work for someone else to step in now. But in a year, Crouch would be asked to quietly retire, or other measures would be taken if he didn't comply. When it had once appeared that he had a chance to be the Minister of Magic.

Barty Crouch Junior, only two years younger than Severus, hadn't seemed like the Death Eater type- and perhaps he had only been in the wrong place, believing and trusting the wrong people- no different than Severus. Only Severus received a second chance and had a life he could never have imagined in those days- and Barty Crouch Jr. was dead.

*****Harry*****

Harry bought some Omnioculars, which were like muggle binoculars except they could do a lot of cool things like slow motion. And then he bought a pair each for Hermione and Ron as well. They both protested at first, but Harry insisted that it was just pocket money from his Dad, and he didn't have anything else he wanted to spend it on anyway. Besides, Harry could tell that they were really excited about them, so it was the best thing he had bought in quite a while. Ron was saying how they would be great to watch inner-house quidditch matches too, to really analyze the other teams' plays. Hermione was commenting on how their many features could be useful for so much more than watching sporting events.

Ron bought a shamrock hat for the Irish, and a Victor Krum- the seeker for the Bulgarian team- figurine, so it seemed like he hoped for something something similar to his brothers.

Soon enough, Harry, Hermione, and the Weasleys were saying goodbye to Harry's dad and Dora, and heading to their seats in the top box. Harry privately thought that wizards could really have put in a elevator, but didn't comment as they climbed to the very top of the stadium, above even the tall goal posts.

It was empty except for an elf in the second to last seat in the second row. Harry hadn't seen any other house elves around, and it was pretty strange to take the worst seats in the box when Harry didn't think they had assigned seats to those up there.

Hermione led them over to the elf, with a curious look on her face.

"Hello. You're here to watch the match?" she asked, which seemed a little silly when they were in the stands, after all, but you… didn't really see an elf going around where witches and wizards were often, so it was a fair question.

"I is saving a seat for my master," the elf squeaked, pointing to the seat next to her. Harry could tell now that she was a female elf, but more timid than Milly.

"But then you'll watch the match with him?" Hermione pressed. "You like quidditch? Or else he wouldn't really need two seats- unless one is for his wife or someone?" Hermione asked again.

"Master is not having anyone!" she said emphatically. "I is staying for as long as Master is needing me to stay, but it is not for watching. Winky is not liking heights, but Winky is a good house elf."

"Who is your master, Winky?" Hermione asked kindly, but Harry knew she was upset. And someone needed to be upset. But her master was probably someone pretty important if he had two seats in the Top Box. The Weasleys were only there because Mr. Weasley was owed a favour, and after meeting Mr. Bagman, Harry wouldn't be surprised if some rules were broken to get them all there.

"Why is Miss asking Winky so many questions?" the house elf asked.

Harry was distracted by more people entering the box, namely the Malfoy family. He had known that Draco was going to be in the top box too, but thought that some interference might still be good. Harry nodded at Draco from across the box, and Draco nodded back, but neither said anything. Harry started a conversation with Mr. Weasley, asking him some quidditch question that Harry already knew the answer to, just hoping that maybe the man wouldn't even notice the three Malfoys walking in.

Harry didn't like Draco's dad, but he also didn't want he and Ron's dad to make a scene. Mr. Malfoy was busy trying to impress the next people who walked in, the Ministry people from both countries anyway, from what Harry could tell. Harry didn't know anything about the Bulgarian Minister, but he could identify Cornelius Fudge, and knew that his father wasn't impressed with the wizard. Harry stood so that Mr. Weasley was blocking him from view of the new arrivals. He didn't want to have any conversations start around him just because he was the "Boy-Who-Lived."

"Your master is Mr. Crouch from the Ministry?" Hermione asked loudly enough that Harry and probably the rest of the people in the box heard.

Winky said something more quietly, and Harry didn't really follow the rest of their conversation, but he heard Dobby- the house elf who had once tried to "protect" Harry come up- and Harry could tell that Draco heard the name too.

Harry was glad when everyone sat down and Ludo Bagman, who was in the top box with them, started announcing for the game, first introducing the mascots, which was new to Harry.

The Bulgarian mascots seemed a lot like humans- incredibly beautiful women, dancing, maybe singing. _Definitely_ affecting him magically.

Harry tried looking away, blocking it out with the vague Occlumency techniques his father had taught him in the past, but he still found himself leaning over to get a better look of the exotic dancing women, wondering what he could do, how he could be noticed- even though part of him knew it was stupid.

Until the women stopped dancing, and slower than he would have liked, Harry was alert again, and the first thing he noticed was Ron scrambling down from standing his chair. The other occupants of the Top Box looked uncomfortable as well, some caught in ridiculous things. Except Hermione. When he looked around, he saw that neither adult Malfoy was affected either. Occlumency could probably explain them, but Hermione?

"Was 'bout to jump, I think. T' get closer to 'em. What- were they?" Ron asked, shaken.

"Veela have… the unique ability to enchant men," Mr. Weasley tried to laugh it off. So Hermione wasn't hit with it because she's a girl. "But look, don't miss the Irish's mascots. They put on quite a show too."

The Irish mascots seemed very human too, but they were easier to identify, even if Harry didn't quite believe it. Leprechauns were _real?_ Harry was still surprised by too many things in the wizarding world, but this one did seem fun. They made an impressive show, flying around in bunches, making a rainbow appear. The crowd went wilder when the leprechauns went around the stadium, raining heavy gold coins on all of them- which definitely _hurt_ , and didn't make sense.

"Mr. Weasley, how can leprechauns just make gold like that? Wouldn't galleons be worthless?" Harry asked, fingering the large coins.

"What, son? Oh- leprechaun gold isn't real. It will disappear in a few hours," he explained. "We run into some trouble sometimes when wizards try to use it as galleons or sell them to muggles."

Hermione nodded, interested, and Ron looked quite disappointed.

"Knew it was too good to be true," he said, shaking his head and emptying his pockets of the stuff. Quietly he murmured, "The Bugarians' was better," but it was quietly enough that Hermione or anyone else couldn't have heard it.

And then Bagman was introducing the team. Harry didn't really pay attention except to the two seekers. "That's him, that's him!" Ron had said when Krum was on the pitch.

Harry hadn't heard of Krum before Ron had been talking about him, but knew that he was young. Aidan Lynch was in the quidditch book Dora had given him for Christmas where they were guessing who would be on the next year's national teams. He was on the list mostly because he'd been on the Irish team four, eight, and twelve years ago, so this would be an impressive fourth appearance, and the farthest the Irish team had come in competitive play in that time. Harry also knew that he played for the Kenmare Kestrals, the only team in the British and Irish Quidditch League actually located in Ireland, so he was sure to be a crowd favorite. But it seemed like he would be on the old side of players by now, though Harry wasn't really sure how long a quidditch career usually was.

Ron was talking almost constantly, explaining something to Hermione, or saying how good a play was, but Harry wasn't really listening. He almost couldn't during quidditch.

Harry wondered if snitches were more difficult to catch in professional quidditch. None of his books had mentioned the equipment being any different, but the snitch was being rather evasive. Twice Harry thought he saw it, and confirmed the sighting with his omnioculars, but he also wasn't flying or dodging bludgers, and the beaters seemed good, especially on the Irish team.

In fact, all of the Irish team seemed better than the Bulgarian one, except the seeker. Lynch was just following Krum, Harry's least favourite seeker tactic. Without a much better broom or significantly more talent, he'd never catch the snitch doing that. And the more skilled seeker was almost never content to follow.

If Krum couldn't catch it relatively quickly, Harry didn't think Bulgaria had any chance. The Irish chasers would have more than a hundred and fifty point lead if the game went on more than an hour. Harry always paid the least attention to chasers and keepers, but even he could tell that the Irish chasers and keeper were really good.

When Krum started his steepest dive of the game, Harry knew it was a feint- Krum hadn't really seen the snitch, and it wasn't there, but he was good at faking it, diving when Lynch was close enough and at an angle that Lynch couldn't see past Krum's body to be sure the snitch wasn't there, so he followed. And wasn't quick enough when Krum pulled out of the dive at the last moment, closer than Harry had ever taken a dive to the ground… or at least he hadn't gone that close when it wasn't really for the snitch. Watching, Harry could see now why his dad got nervous when Harry played quidditch.

Harry watched the dive one more time on his Omnioculars, and across the lenses it flashed WRONSKI DEFENSIVE FEINT- DANGEROUS SEEKER DIVERSION. That was a pretty cool feature, even if Harry already knew what the move was called- it was really just a feint with a steep dive, named after a Polish seeker some number of decades ago, when it was especially dangerous on the brooms at the time.

While mediwizards revived Lynch, Krum looked around for the snitch without Lynch as his shadow. That was what Krum had hoped for.

Lynch got back on his broom in a few minutes, but Harry didn't think it was wise. If the game hadn't meant as much, or if they had a decent reserve, Lynch would be out of the match for sure.

As Lynch returned, the Irish chasers seemed motivated to play even better- probably because they knew they were the ones who could win the game, not their seeker.

And predictably, the foul count picked up as well, which Harry thought was a little early for the Bulgarian team. They just needed Krum to get a chance at the snitch, and unless they could really injure an Irish player, penalty shots were just helping the Irish out distance the Bulgarians in points even faster. Meanwhile, the Irish beaters focused all of their efforts on Krum, which went poorly for them when Krum dove out of the way at the last moment, and a particularly forceful bludger hit carried on and smashed into Lynch, just as effective as the Irish seeker plowing into the ground. But Harry knew it was easier to criticize plays from the stands than the pitch.

There was some outrage from the crowd when Krum led Lynch into another crash to the ground not long later but really, the man shouldn't have been fooled by the same play _again_. There were other positions to fly in besides directly behind the opposing seeker.

Harry wasn't particularly loyal to the Irish team like the others were, and he liked a good seeker, so he had found himself pulling for Krum, so his heart sank a little when the Irish seekers pulled to a hundred and sixty point lead on the Bulgarians, and they showed no sign of stopping. With the skill of the Irish keeper and chaser line, it seemed almost impossible for Krum's team to win.

And Krum himself seemed to agree. Harry spotted the snitch about when the Bulgarian seeker did, maybe a moment before, and Krum caught it easily. It only he had seen it a few minutes sooner.

Harry joined in with the rest of the Weasleys and even Hermione cheering. The Irish team was very good. And a team was more than one player, and deserved to win if they were the better whole team. And it made all of his friends happy. Celebrating that night would be fun.

 **A/N: Thank you for reading and reviewing. I hope you enjoyed, and there is much more to come for Harry and company in the morning.**


	61. Chapter 61 The Dark Mark

Chapter 61- The Dark Mark

*****Severus*****

Even with Severus's warding and the additional, admittedly impressive wards from Bill Weasley, Severus never should have agreed to sleeping in this place. But he had not truly expected anything worse than drunken wizards spreading fires that the nearest sober attendee could easily contain.

"Wha-?" Harry started, clearly confused to being shaken awake and a dressing gown thrust at him.

"Move. We have to get to the apparition point now," Severus instructed, giving up and spelling Harry's shoes onto his feet- not the most comfortable, but the most expedient for the laced trainers, before turning and doing the same to the others. Neither Weasley twin woke up with their daytime enthusiasm.

Herding the boys through the tent flap, Severus was joined by Dora leading the two girls.

"You'll take them?" Dora asked. As an auror, she had a duty to go. And _he_ had the responsibility to take Harry and half a dozen other children to safety. It was essentially his profession and he- would have done it anyway.

Severus nodded, leading the pack towards the apparition point. What idiots blocked outgoing disapparition from the grounds? Surely the collective efforts of two Ministries could have made the distinction between incoming and outgoing travel? Severus saw Arthur and his three oldest sons moving toward the Death Eaters. Thus far the Death Eaters' actions had been relatively tame, but Severus knew what some of those men were capable of doing.

"You will not be straying, boys," Severus informed the twins who were staring after their brothers. Those children were still his students, though Severus doubted that Percy Weasley was better equipped to handle the situation than the twins, as those boys possessed a surprising amount of potential. Severus would not allow their future to vanish here. In panic, masses around them ran into the woods in ineffective paths. Severus always remembered a way of escape.

"One on each arm," Severus instructed when they reached the edge of the anti-apparition wards, grabbing Harry. He'd make sure Harry was safe and then come back for more.

"Take the others first," Harry insisted.

"No!" Severus shouted back. The child was delusional if he thought Severus would listen to that.

"Take Ginny," Ron Weasley decided for the bunch, pushing his little sister forward. Severus grabbed the smallest red-head and departed.

One midpoint later, and then to Hogsmeade. Severus always seemed to be barging in to use the Three Broomstick's floo.

"Go get Ron and Hermione!" Harry cried.

"Not until you're through the floo," Severus said, half dragging Harry through the door. Miss Weasley seemed to have no trouble with the concept, already running to the fireplace herself.

"I'm fine!" Harry protested.

"Floo now," Severus yelled. His cursory knowledge of muggle science told him that his adrenaline was high. A wizard would definitely suggest a calming draught. Severus didn't care that he was making a scene. He ignored the few drunk patrons who were still celebrating an Irish win from the night before. Rosmerta was forgiving, or he could simply choose a different Hogsmeade floo in the future.

"The Burrow," and Miss Weasley was gone.

"Dad!" Harry whined.

"You're the one holding me up. Follow her or go to our quarters," Severus instructed. Harry chose the Burrow and Severus departed again. Molly would be there to look after Harry, and Severus would deal with appeasing the teenager later.

Miss Granger and the Weasley boys were thankfully where Severus had left him.

"Don't _dare_ run off," he told the twins as he grabbed Miss Granger and Ron, two apparitions later and he dropped them in front of the Three Broomsticks. He was getting tired or he would have taken them all the way to the Burrow, but that would have been a few more apparitions.

"Floo to the Burrow," and he was off again.

"We could help like the others now that the kids are safe," came Fred's voice the moment Severus arrived. Could he tell the difference just from their voice, or did he just expect Fred to instigate this particular insanity? "Look," Fred pointed upward, but Severus had already noticed the glow.

He couldn't allow himself time to gape at a symbol that meant that someone had died. He had seen that sign too many times, in the papers and in person, and they had had so many years of peace since then.

"No," he answered, tightly gripping each boy. "Don't fight me or we'll all get splinched," he admonished, and they were off. If he could still stand at the end, he'd go investigate the Dark Mark and see which of his former comrades wanted to bring back those days of terror. He wouldn't let them succeed.

*****Draco*****

Draco had run towards the commotion, even as his mother called for him. His father wasn't in their tent, if you could call the five room structure they had a "tent". People were screaming, moving quickly in the opposite direction.

Draco ran until he saw them, the muggles dangling in the air, sometimes upside down, moving around by magic. The little girl much younger than he was… and the little boy even smaller. It was sick. And they were strung overhead by a handful of figures in dark robes and masks.

Familiar masks.

Draco closed his eyes tightly, but the figures were still there when he opened again. He thought he could hear laughter, but at that distance, and with all the screams from the nearer tents, it must have been imagined.

Draco turned and sprinted in the general direction that the crowd was going. He didn't know he could run that fast. Towards the trees and some illusion of safety. Probably towards the apparition point, but Draco couldn't apparate and didn't know where his mother was.

And his father wasn't going to be helpful right now.

Draco ran into the trees, the moonlight he had relied on before quickly blacked out.

He ran until he fell, got up, and kept running.

The second time, he couldn't make himself get up. What was the point? Those people in the masks weren't going to be hurting _him_. No, they might even ask him to join them. They'd be hurting defenseless muggles. And then maybe that would get boring and they'd branch out. Maybe they'd go after muggleborns like Hermione, or decide to go after the biggest catch, the Boy Who Lived. Or Uncle Severus for clearly not wanting to rejoin their ranks- Draco had a pretty good idea of what had happened back then. So, what did it matter except that Draco _cared_ about those people? Even the muggles that he didn't know, he didn't want them to suffer. But he didn't know how to do anything about it either.

People ran past him as Draco sat slumped against the tree. Until there weren't as many people anymore. An elf stumbled past, struggling. The elf that Draco had seen in the top box, he thought, forced to do something she didn't like… just like Dobby.

But maybe he could help the elf. Like Dobby. Not just like Dobby, obviously, because his family didn't own this elf. But he could tell it- _her,_ Draco thought- about Hermione's crazy plans that weren't so crazy. That she could work at Hogwarts if she just left Crouch. That could happen somehow, probably. If he could just do something good, then he'd be different from- those people. Even if he had been too much of a coward to try to free the muggles.

Draco stumbled to his feet, finally lit his wand, which he should have done ages ago, and walked in the direction the elf had gone. He would catch up because she wasn't going very fast, like she was having trouble.

Draco heard rustlings ahead that were maybe an adult and a house elf, sticking out because the rest of their area had gone silent. Maybe the useless man, Crouch, had found her.

" _MORSMORDRE!_ " came a terrible voice, an adult man that Draco was sure wasn't an old, stuffy Ministry worker like Mr. Crouch. Draco threw himself to the ground behind a tree. That spell sounded like death.

It was when he started wondering about the house elf that he noticed the light. Eerie emerald light. And then he saw it, almost directly overhead, getting bigger as it rose, the enormous green skull as the focal point, with a huge snake coming out of its mouth, twisting around. It was the mark that Draco knew his father bore on his arm, that Lucius Malfoy always hid, that Draco's father claimed was given to him by force.

Screams filled the forest even louder than when the muggle torturing started. Because that symbol meant that someone had died. Draco had read as much about those times as he could find without his parents knowing. Would Death Eaters think a house elf death was enough? Or was one of the muggles… or all of them…?

Half of him wanted to run towards the terrifying male voice, because he knew the house elf had been near there. The other half of him wasn't sure why he wasn't already running away.

At least a dozen wizards apparating near him stopped Draco from doing anything. Shooting stunning so widely a few of them must have hit each other.

And of course he still had his wand lit because he was an idiot. Draco had just the time to think that someone must have taken down the anti-apparition wards down.

Ginny and Ron's dad was standing over Draco when he woke up- when they decided to enervate him, he guessed.

"Arthur, aren't you the one who has said that Lucius Malfoy was a Death Eater for well over a decade?" one brave soul said. People didn't just say that about Draco's father- even if half the country or more probably thought it.

"But a teenage boy isn't his father. My youngest two have spent some time with him and didn't have much bad to say. Are you alright, Draco?" Mr. Weasley asked.

"He is not alright, Arthur, he is our only suspect for a very serious offense. Your father would be very displeased with you, young man," An older man said. That- Draco was pretty sure that was Mr. Crouch. Draco had been to the Ministry several times with his father.

"He's just a boy. I would hardly think he would know how-" Mr. Weasley protested, but Draco had something more important.

"Mr. Crouch, I think your elf's… in trouble. She went this way, and it sounded like someone, an adult was near her, and then a man cast that spell," Draco panted. But he hadn't heard a killing curse or any other spell to kill her, so surely she wasn't…

"What spell?" Mr. Crouch snapped. His eyes looked crazy as he brought his wand closer to Draco's face.

"The spell to make the Dark Mark in the sky," Draco answered warily. "Just- just summon her and see if she can come to you."

"I _don't_ take orders from suspects. And _I'm_ not in your father's payroll, Mr. Malfoy."

"Draco, will you let me test your wand to see the last spells you have cast?" Mr. Weasley asked kindly.

Maybe that would be enough to get Crouch to trust him. Draco reluctantly handed over his wand. The last spells he had cast were represented back to him. The lumos that he had just done, some stunning spells that they didn't have to know happened in Malfoy Manor for practice. A reparo.

"I think that's enough, don't you?" Mr. Weasley said as he handed Draco his wand back.

"Can you just summon your elf now?" Draco asked, exasperated. He wasn't sure how many of the wizards and witches around worked for the Ministry or knew his father, or had been paid off by his father, but when it came down to it, Arthur Weasley, the man that his father hated more than- well more than any other pureblood wizard at least, was the one defending Draco.

With everyone looking at him now, Mr. Crouch took a step back and called, "Winky."

The elf didn't come.

"Where did you hear this voice coming from?" someone else asked.

Draco pointed and several of the men and one witch went off in that direction.

Winky, Draco remembered what he thought he'd heard. That was her name and probably she was dead. And her master didn't seem to care.

"Barty?" one of the men called. "We found her, must have stunned her when we got here but… she's holding a wand, and no one else was over there. You don't think-"

"It wasn't her. I told you, it was a grown man who said the spell," Draco insisted, glad the elf was alive, but these people couldn't blame her for this.

"Spell? You certainly know a lot about how the Dark Mark is cast in the sky, don't you?" Crouch accused.

"I _heard_ it cast. And it was cast by a _grown_ _man_ ," Draco looked around and all of the faces seemed sympathetic to him now. Were they used to Mr. Crouch being a little crazy? "I've never heard him before, but I think I could recognize him if I heard the voice again."

Mr. Crouch stalked off, right past the people bringing his elf back to where they found her. Like he didn't even want to see Winky.

Draco looked at the man carrying the female elf- and a familiar looking wand.

"Mr. Weasley, can I talk to you?" Draco found himself saying, standing to his feet now that he wasn't the focus of the attention and taking some steps back.

"I- of course, Mr. Malfoy."

"That's Ron's wand," Draco whispered. "Where is he?" Not that Draco cared about a Weasley. Or Granger. But Harry was- essentially his friend. Really, Harry was the closest thing he had to a best friend, and he liked the others well enough.

Mr. Weasley craned his neck around obviously. Gryffindor. "Young man, I think I would know what my son's wand looks like."

"It's his new wand that Uncle Severus bought him. After Granger's cat stole his first one," Draco said. It wasn't any of his business, but Ron would need his wand back- it worked for him better than the first one. Though now, Draco would guess that Ron's dad didn't just not recognize his son's new wand- he didn't know it existed. Probably because Ron hadn't wanted to tell his father that he accepted the gift. Because they were poor, something that at one time Draco Malfoy would have never almost forgotten.

Mr. Weasley was looking suspicious but said, "Thank you, Draco. I will look into it. And Severus took all of the children to safety, so fortunately he didn't get wrapped up in this mess. Where are your-" but he didn't finish that sentence. Because Mr. Weasley knew where Draco's father was as well as Draco did, and he didn't want to… mention it, Draco supposed.

"I left my mother when I- ran towards the noise, and then I ran away into the woods. I don't know where my father is," he said quietly. A lie. "He wasn't in the tent."

Crouch was a monster almost as bad as Death Eaters. He took two seats in the Top Box of the World Cup (which was so exclusive that Uncle Severus couldn't get a seat) tormented his loyal house elf in the process, and then didn't even bother showing up. And why did he need two seats anyway? So he wouldn't have to sit where his elf had sat? Wasn't all of his family dead? He only needed one seat.

"Draco!" and there, his mother had found him at last. "What is going on? What do these men want?"

"I- heard the Dark Mark being put in the sky, but- can I go now?" Draco asked, looking around.

A large man who seemed more official than most of the group said, "Yeah, you can go, kid. We'll talk to Barty if he protests. No one really thinks you put that thing up there."

"Well I should say not!" his mother said, leading Draco away quickly and then she apparated them home.

Draco ran and opened the trapdoor to the hidden room under the drawing room even though he knew what he'd find. His mother was crying, screaming behind him, but Draco didn't listen.

The robes and mask were missing. He'd just needed to confirm it.

Draco made sure that he hadn't disrupted anything, closed the trap door and arranged the rug properly back over it.

"You won't tell father I checked?" Draco asked his still crying mother.

"Never," she choked back. He knew that she wouldn't.

*****Harry*****

Harry arrived at the Burrow shaken and not entirely sure what had been happening at the camp site, but not comfortable that his father and friends were still out there. And embarrassed that he had yelled at his dad because the man cared about his safety.

"Ginny? Oh and Harry. What happened? Where are the others? I was watching the clock when all of the hands went to mortal peril and I didn't know how to reach you," Mrs. Weasley half-shouted, which made Harry realize how worried Mrs. Weasley was to be away from her family. Even when she had had no reason to suspect something would go wrong, she was already watching the family clock. Families were like that.

"We weren't in _mortal peril_ ," Ginny said through her mum's shoulder. Harry was wrapped in the nice hug as well. "Professor Snape and Tonks were there. And Dad."

"Mum!" came Ron's voice as he and Hermione stepped through the floo together. "There were Death Eaters, and Dad, Bill, Charlie, and Percy stayed behind."

Mrs. Weasley looked stricken, and Harry knew his dad felt the same when Harry was in any sort of danger. And Harry's dad and Dora were still out there now, especially Dora was probably right in the middle of it all.

"Fred and George?" Mrs. Weasley asked, hugging Ron tightly now, an arm around Hermione's shoulder too.

"Professor Snape's bringing them," Ron answered.

The twins weren't far behind coming from the floo. And then Harry's dad, who held out his arms to Harry. "Sorry I shouted before," Harry whispered. The others were too busy crowding around Fred and George to notice.

"One of them sent up the Dark Mark into the sky," Fred said.

Harry knew what the Dark Mark was, a symbol for the followers of Riddle. He'd seen it on his dad's arm, even though his father wasn't proud of it and usually hid the tattoo. But Harry didn't know what it meant in the sky, so he looked at his father.

"It's a sign of a murder," his father said, loud enough for the room to hear it.

Harry gripped his father tighter, maybe because he suspected what his father would say next.

"I've got to go, Harry," his father said, and Harry knew it was true. Maybe he thought it was to protect Harry, and Harry knew it was in a way, and maybe his dad felt like he had to because he had been a Death Eater once. But Harry didn't care for the moment if he was being childish for a fourteen-year-old, but he didn't want his dad to leave again and maybe get hurt or worse.

"Dora's there," his father murmured. "And half of your friends' family. You know I'll be here as soon as I can." His father was worried about Dora. Harry was too. His father was the scariest person who had ever taught at Hogwarts when he needed to be, Harry reminded himself.

Mrs. Weasley started crying even harder when the remaining hands moved away from moral peril not long after Harry's dad left. Within half an hour, Harry's father and the older Weasleys all had returned. Harry wasn't embarrassed at all by their long hug, because Mrs. Weasley gave even her oldest sons and her husband the same treatment, and Harry didn't want to let his father go. His dad said that Dora was fine too, but had had to go into work to write reports about everything.

They said that after the Dark Mark was sent up, the Death Eaters scattered. It was someone in the forest that made the mark, not one of the Death Eaters terrorizing the muggles. The muggle family would have to be obliviated, but they would be okay, and no one had died at all, even though there was the Dark Mark. Harry privately wondered why the Death Eaters would be so scared of the mark of their old master, so maybe even they didn't really want him to come back. But that didn't mean they weren't still dangerous.

In better spirits, Mrs. Weasley started cooking a large breakfast, and Harry's dad didn't even suggest that they leave. After breakfast, his dad did take Harry home, and then Hermione back to her parents' house. Because even though the Weasleys said she was welcome to stay the last week before school started, Hermione said she wanted to see her parents, and Harry understood.

*****Draco*****

"What were you thinking, risking the life we have built together to torture a family of muggles with your old _friends_?" his mother hissed. Draco was glad he hadn't been seen, because he had never heard his mother speak like that to his father.

"No one _died_ ," his father said soothingly. In that convincing voice he had. "It was _fine_ until someone cast the Mark. Crouch's elf is taking the blame. Kicked the thing out of his house already, even if no one believes it. He is mindful of appearance even though he's nearly been removed from the Ministry already. But _I_ didn't cast it, nor did any I know. There's someone _else_ out there. We never knew all of each other," Draco's father replied.

Winky had been fired. Even though she hadn't done anything wrong and could have been killed. Even though she had waited for her master when she was clearly uncomfortable in the Top Box, and he didn't even have the decency to show up.

Draco was glad to hear sounds of his father walking off in another direction, because he had heard all he could stand. At least his mother wasn't happy with his father. But that didn't mean that she would make anything change.

Draco rarely went outside of the manor anymore. He hadn't felt like flying at home that summer, but that wasn't what he had in mind now. Draco went to where he knew he wasn't in sight of any of the windows.

"Dobby?" he called for the house elf that he hadn't seen after freeing the elf over a year ago.

"Master Draco, is you in trouble?" the elf asked, looking around wildly. He shouldn't have asked Dobby to come here, when the place had been so bad for him, but Draco also couldn't leave the wards unnoticed.

The elf looked terrible in a way. It- he was still wearing the near-rags that he wore as the Malfoy's house elf, but it was dirtier, the elf was thinner, and still wearing the sock Draco had given him on one foot. But, he wasn't bandaged up or bleeding, and he looked around anxiously, but didn't look terrified. He hadn't found another family, but that was good for now, if Draco's idea worked.

"No. I just have- a suggestion. Do you know Barty Crouch's elf, Winky?"

The elf brightened, "Oh, yes, Dobby is knowing Winky. When old Master doing Ministry bribe gifts, Dobby is seeing Winky. And sometimes Dobby is visiting her, but Winky is shrieking and saying Dobby away even though she is liking Dobby."

"Well, she got released unfairly and-"

"No!" the little elf interrupted. "She is not liking that. Not liking that at all. Winky is not like Dobby, sir."

"Yes, yes, but my friend-" He had just called Hermione Granger his friend, "had this document written up where any house elf without work can come to Hogwarts. And if you like being free, you can work there and get paid, and if you or Winky want to enter into the traditional binding, you can."

"Dobby could be _paid_? Dobby is asking for pay to buy socks, but no one is wanting a free house elf."

"Yes, you can be paid, and Winky can be too if she wants, or not like the other house elves. Will you tell her and help her get there? You can see me there too next term," he added. The elf was over eager at times, but good. He had been at least as prominent in Draco's childhood as either of his parents, even if Draco hadn't really noticed at the time."

"Yes, Master Draco," the elf nodded exaggeratedly.

"You don't have to call me that anymore, Dobby," Draco reminded him. It seemed odd when he was so proud of being a free elf.

"Dobby is wanting to, Master Draco. Dobby will leave now if Master Draco does not need Dobby?"

"No, go before my father finds you," Draco said, and Dobby the house elf popped away, leaving Draco feeling like he'd done something good. And finding himself wanting to tell Hermione Granger about it.

 **A/N: Please review and tell me what you think! At 950 reviews, I'm starting to think about hitting 1000, and that is so incredible. But your kind words keep me going, and they mean so much to me, as do the follows and favorites. Thank you all!**


	62. Chapter 62 Trials

Chapter 62- Trials

*****Severus*****

Another trip walking to the Headmaster's office. Was news could he be dreading this time? Nothing with Black- the pre-trial work that Severus was irritatingly involved in was progressing appropriately.

He doubted there were any new developments in the Triwizard Tournament, but it was possible. There were no other vacancies in the staff, so it wasn't likely to be a request to bring yet another Death Eater onto the premises. And spineless Karkaroff wasn't likely to risk his neck siding with Riddle if it were to come to that, after betraying the man to save his own skin those years ago. Any self-respecting Death Eater still on Riddle's side would kill the man.

If Severus was lucky, Albus had a new development on the horcruxes, because Severus had nothing.

"Yes, Headmaster, what is it this time?" he asked, stepping inside and taking a seat before Albus could offer one. It was his minute rebellion of decorum.

"You are aware of the house elf agreement that I have drawn up at Miss Hermione Granger's urgings?" Albus asked. Idle gossip perhaps- not what Severus had been expecting. He listened unfortunately closely to all of the actions of Harry and his friends, even if Miss Granger had not spoken to him directly about this particular endeavour as she had about others.

"Yes," Severus replied simply.

"Well, she will be delighted to learn that I have already had the first two applicants to request placement under the agreement. The first, I accepted immediately, and she has chosen the traditional house elf binding, but the second, Miss Granger will be happy to hear, would like to remain free and accept pay, however, I needed to speak with you first before accepting him."

Ah. Dobby. Of course the elf would come back here. It might have had to send the other elf to speak with the Headmaster, because it hadn't triggered the still active wards Severus had put against the creature.

The elf had caused significant trouble for their little family two years earlier.

"You remember the elf I am speaking of, of course, Severus?" Dumbledore asked.

"Dobby the house elf, formerly servant of the Malfoy house," Severus answered.

"Yes, the same. I had to meet him in Hogsmeade, which I will say is not something I have done for an elf before, but I did not mind the change. He is a spirited fellow." The headmaster _would_ get along with the strangest house elf that Severus had ever met.

"Fine. He will be warded from entering my quarters and Gryffindor Tower," Severus declared. He was softer than bread pudding.

"Thank you, Severus, I'm sure he will be pleased. And his little friend, Winky- Barty Crouch's former elf. She was very reluctant to join our staff at all without him there as well, and only did so at his urging," the old wizard smiled as Severus left the room. Severus decided that he should just be thankful that he had a trip to the Headmaster's office without catastrophic news being delivered.

*****Severus*****

Severus was taking Harry to see Sirius Black again because Harry wanted to see the man before his trial. And because Dora thought that Harry would be fine. _Not_ because the mutt had been begging for it. And the mongrel hadn't even tried to turn his son against his son against Severus in their last meeting- not that he could have been successful. And their last interaction was an extreme circumstance because Severus and Dora needed to address the horcrux.

Apparently, the old, half-decrepit Black house elf had the Black Manor looking almost livable, so there was really no reason for two Marauders to be residing in Severus's house at Spinner's End, except Severus hadn't kicked them out. The wolf said that after the mutt's name was cleared, the last Black heir intended to sell the place. To really rid himself of the pureblood family that left him unimaginably wealthy. Though if he was a normal Gryffindor, not part of the Black family, he might not have spent more than a decade in Azkaban.

"Hey, kid," Black was saying easily as Severus stepped second through the floo.

Remus- _Lupin_ \- was there too. Severus also intended to give him another month's supply of Wolfbane potion- because it was convenient to have Lupin watching over Black while they occupied Severus's house, and a wolf with the mind of a man was a better minder than Black on his own. It wasn't out of regard to Lupin's personal comfort. The man did take the first week of potions with no more than a raised eye brow when Severus told him that the potion could be stored for up to four weeks if kept under stasis. Severus had been simply unwilling to allow Lupin to be solely responsible for managing his condition while in a school full of children including Severus's son. The man could fend for himself when he was only endangering low valued property and Black.

"Glad you brought your broom. Got myself one too. Crazy what brooms can do these days, that you really can't appreciate," Black said, lifting his own Firebolt. What he spent the Black fortune on. But at least the mutt hadn't left the boundary of the wards and been seen. That was more restraint than Severus would have expected.

"I _can_ ," Harry shot back, "I use the school brooms a lot in practice for more of a challenge, and they are pretty old," Harry said, stepping out into the yard with a wave back at Severus. Black wasn't far behind them.

"It's very kind of you to let Sirius see Harry," Rem- _Lupin_ \- butted in once the _children_ were gone. "It really brightens his day. And he doesn't talk about anything difficult- I don't think he really knows how to- about James or Lily or you. They've mostly talked of quidditch, and a few stories from Tonks's childhood. He does know that he owes you a lot personally, even if he doesn't exactly know how to show his gratitude, but he wouldn't be unkind to Harry."

So the wolf had taught the old dog a few manners. That didn't have to make them all _friends_.

*****Harry*****

Harry had flooed to the Ministry with his father and met Ron and Ron's father in the lobby with all the fireplaces. Then they walked down halls and several flights on a strange elevator until they found the floor that Mr. Weasley wanted.

Harry and his father filed into the room behind Ron and his dad, and went up a few steps to the seats that Mr. Weasley indicated. There were a lot of older witches and wizards in the room, and everyone was facing and empty chair that wasn't elevated like the other seats.

"They tried to fit it in a smaller courtroom, but none of the members of the Wizengamot wanted to be left out. And with the size of the list of possible witnesses. Presided over by your Headmaster Dumbledore, the Chief Warlock. Even keeping it strictly closed to the press, the preceding will headline the evening Prophet _and_ the morning tomorrow," Mr. Weasley explained. Ron looked more nervous than Harry felt. But his father had said that Ron was more likely to be called down to speak.

When most everyone was in their seats, Professor Dumbledore, who was in the middle of the raised seating said, "For the expedience of everyone involved, I believe we would like to hear from the accused himself, Sirius Black, who has willingly submitted himself to auror questioning, and they found no falsehood in his testimony." There was a lot of hushed talking about this as Sirius Black came forward and very hesitantly sat in the lone chair facing all of the others.

Sirius looked good. He was in nice robes and his hair was tied back, which Harry had never seen before, and he was completely clean shaven. He looked younger and handsome, more like some old pictures that Remus had.

Almost as soon as Sirius sat down, someone who wasn't Dumbledore stood up, Mr. Crouch from the World Cup. Harry wasn't sure who was allowed to speak at these things.

"Sirius Black, isn't it true that your admitted your guilt on the scene of the incident. Called yourself a murderer?" Mr. Crouch demanded. Harry wasn't exactly sure what Mr. Crouch did now, except that Percy's work for him seemed boring. But he might have been there because of his job during the last war.

"I blamed myself for their deaths, James and Lily. Doesn't mean I should have been denied a fair trial. Or at least whatever sham of one you gave your own son. We _all_ heard about that, even inside," Sirius said with a completely calm smile. This brought more than muttering from the crowd.

"Now, Mr. Black," Dumbledore stepped in, "I believe the question does need a more thorough answer. Admittance of guilt is a rather complicated part of our laws, and we do understand that you were not given justice, which we seek to amend as much as possible. If you would continue, Mister Black?"

"I was twenty-one years old, and I'd lost my best friend- my brother in all but blood. I was mad with grief," and he paused here for a moment.

"Everyone knew how close I was to James- and to Lily and Harry too. When Lily and James went in hiding under the Fidelius charm, I was their choice to be their secret keeper, and I accepted. But I was too obvious of a choice, I thought. Thought they'd come after me and get it out of me, so I trusted Peter to do the job. No one would ever suspect poor, Peter Pettigrew. Always struggling to keep up Peter. PETER!" Sirius yelled suddenly. It was… pretty alarming, but most of the crowd seemed sympathetic. Mr. Crouch was getting some nasty looks.

"And can you tell, from your perspective, the death of twelve muggles and the apparent death of Peter Pettigrew on November 1, 1981?" Dumbledore asked kindly as if Sirius hadn't just made that outburst. It was going pretty smoothly, but Harry knew that Headmaster Dumbledore had visited Remus and Sirius a few times and worked through questions and answers, which was really good for Sirius keeping everything together.

"I knew for the Fidelius to have failed, Peter must have given them up to Voldemort," Sirius said, ignoring the wince of almost everyone in the courtroom and a few shrieks. "So I tracked him down. He was hiding in public around muggles, maybe thinking I wouldn't do anything with muggles around. I don't know what I was planning. Maybe just hoping that he had been tricked somehow, didn't just sell them away willingly. But as soon as I found him, he started yelling- saying _I'd_ betrayed James and Lily, and little Harry too. Then he blew up the street and vanished. I thought he had made a mistake and killed himself as well. I thought at least it was over, though of course the muggle lives lost were tragic."

"Thank you, Mr. Black. We have only one more question, I believe. Can you speak to the claim that you used dark magic to escape Azkaban? We are all rather curious as to how our most trusted defenses were broken," Professor Dumbledore asked, though of course the Headmaster and probably most of the Ministry knew by now.

"I was an unregistered animagus, as is Peter Pettigrew. I have now submitted registry forms, and will be official after my acquittal. My animagus form is a large black dog, and Peter's is a rat missing a finger after he cut it off and made his escape." More loud murmuring and some coughing followed.

After that, Dumbledore called for the decision of the court.

By a show of hands, there was a large majority of hands raised for declaring Sirius to be innocent, none for him to be guilty, and several members declining to vote.

Sirius was free! He ran over to where Remus was sitting and hugged his old friend. And he looked over at Harry, and maybe at Harry's dad too. Even though Harry wasn't entirely sure how he felt about his godfather, the man deserved a chance to figure out who he was as an adult outside of prison, and Harry hoped he did well with that.

"Thank you," Dumbledore said, "The judgment of this court shall be respected. I would like to continue on this day with the trial of Peter Pettigrew, recently proven to be living and no longer the holder of the posthumous Order of Merlin, Second Class."

Ron was called forward and sat in the chair Sirius had just left.

"Mr. Weasley, can you tell me how long your family owned a pet rat named "Scabbers?" There wasn't a lot of confusion about this, given what people already knew and the rat comment from Sirius.

"For as long as I can remember. He was my brother Percy's when I was little. Mum thinks it was sometime in 1982, sir," Ron explained.

"As long as you can remember is fine for the record, Mr. Weasley. Can you tell us of anything odd that would make him seem to not be just a rat?"

"Well…" Ron hesitated, "Nothing that made me suspect it then, but some things fit now, you know? I've been thinking a lot. My brothers taught me this spell to make a rat turn yellow, and it never worked on Scabbers- I mean Pettigrew- but maybe it wasn't a real spell. But one time T- I mean Miss Tonks, was summoning a rat, and another rat came to her hand instead of Scabbers- Pettigrew, and I guess that doesn't sound like much, but when you combine it with other stuff- and he was always missing a finger. He started looking sick and anxious a year ago, and I thought it was going to Egypt, but it must have been when he found out that Mr. Black had escaped, and he wasn't the same after that. He eventually faked his death- I mean again, and framed my friend's cat with some fur and blood."

Once he was talking, Ron didn't look nervous at all. "I guess that was because faking his death worked so well the last time. And most of all, he lived too long. I did some research, and rats are only supposed to live two to five years, and we had Pettigrew for a dozen, and he wasn't even a baby then. I just thought they lived as long as cats or something, but they aren't supposed to. Er- I can't think of anything else, sir, except that I _saw_ him change into a man in front of us," Ron finished. That actually drew a few laughs from the crowd, which were muffled quickly.

"Mister Weasley, as we have you here and you have been so helpful, could you recount the events of the night Peter Pettigrew was apprehended?"

"Yeah, so- er, we were in Hagrid's hut- me, Harry, Hermione, and Neville- and we found Scabbers, even though we thought he was dead, but then he got away. We chased him outside, and Draco was there, and he helped us too, and Draco caught him, but then this big black dog grabbed him and dragged him under the Whomping Willow- this big, violent tree. And we all followed them, except Harry asked Neville to fine Harry's dad, and he did."

"And er- this path was really low and hard to run, but we made it to the Shrieking Shack where the tunnel ended, and it's this boarded up old house that's trashed inside. And, er- we found Draco, and he said it was Black- Mr. Black, and Harry sent a bunch of spells at him, and we did too. He had a wand- my wand, because Hermione's cat must have stolen it from him. That cat hated me, but we're doing okay now. Oh and the cat was there and did something to the tree earlier to make it freeze. Er, and he- Mr. Black, not the cat- must of blocked some of the spells because he wasn't stunned and could still talk but couldn't move and was tied up."

Ron faltered, "But he- man it happened pretty fast. He said that my rat was Pettigrew, and maybe I was starting to think something was up with Scabbers too, and I told Draco to stun the rat, but then Pettigrew was human all the sudden, and holding a wand to Draco's throat, and we didn't know what to do without getting Draco killed. And that's when Professor Snape showed up, and I guess he didn't know how to not get Draco killed either, but Neville was just a little bit behind, and he disarmed Pettigrew, because Pettigrew was using his dad's old wand that Scabbers- Pettigrew- must have stolen, and Neville was mad and awesome. So Pettigrew was disarmed and then he turned back into a rat, but Professor Snape and Harry got him. And- Professor Snape wrapped everything up, trapped Pettigrew really securely and took us all to the hospital wing and got you, and Professor McGonagall and the aurors. Is that all you need?" Ron asked. He'd left out a few things, mostly that Harry's dad had called Milly to take away Sirius, but Headmaster Dumbledore didn't seem to mind.

"Thank you, Mister Weasley. Do any of the others present for the incident, Draco Malfoy, Harry Potter, Severus Snape, Neville Longbottom, Hermione Granger, or Sirius Black, dispute any material piece of Mr. Weasley's description of the night?" Dumbledore asked. Harry hadn't known that Hermione was there, he looked around until he spotted his friend sitting on the other side of Neville and his grandmother. There wasn't an adult with Hermione, but she seemed fine and interested in everything going on.

Harry shook his head, and his father said "No," aloud.

"Then if there are no objections, we shall proceed to hearing from the accused," Dumbledore announced.

Peter Pettigrew was brought, crying and screaming, to sit in the chair that Sirius Black had recently vacated. Harry understood why Sirius had been so hesitant to sit down when chains that Harry hadn't seen before sprung up and wrapped around Pettigrew. Of course, he could get out of them if he changed into his animagus form, but the hundred or so witches and wizards in the room were stopping him.

"Peter Pettigrew, you have confessed to all of the crimes that you have been accused of before aurors, both under oath and under veritaserum. What do you say to this court now?"

"It is all lies, all of it!" the man squeaked. "I was simply driven by fear to flee from Black! Didn't have my wits around me, didn't know how much time had passed!" Pettigrew lied.

"So you found yourself a strong, light aligned family to live with, isn't that right? And you went to Hogwarts with their boys for years?" Dumbledore asked, and though he was smiling, Harry got the idea of how people could think the headmaster was really scary.

"Yes! I was hiding and scared! Confused! I didn't know what was happening. I truly became like a rat until I heard the name Sirius Black again when he escaped! And then I _knew_ I had to keep hiding."

"Would you like to give stronger oaths, an _unbreakable vow_ to that affect? It has fallen out of favour in the courts, but I believe we could make an exception. After all, we want to be entirely sure that we have the facts correct before judgment is made in this case," Dumbledore offered.

Pettigrew sobbed in earnest, "I was weak! I didn't want to betray James- and Lily. But I was- scared, and he offered so much! I was lied to! And he said he only really needed to kill the baby. Just the baby. Wasn't I worth more than a baby who wasn't even born when I made this promise? Not even human! But I tried, I hid for more than a year!" That had everyone muttering.

"YOU SHOULD HAVE DIED!" Sirius roared above the noise. "Should have refused to be Secret Keeper if you were scared! But you already knew what you would do, didn't you? DIDN'T YOU?"

"Thank you. I believe that no further witnesses will be needed, and we will allow the members of the Wizengamot to deliberate," Dumbledore announced, taking his own seat.

"We're leaving," Harry's father said, standing and ushering Harry out of his seat. Harry didn't want to leave until it was over, but in the end it didn't matter, because their deciding didn't last long. They were already talking again and raising hands, which Harry craned his neck around his father to see.

"The court has shown its decision, finding the accused to be guilty of all charges," a voice said. Harry didn't recognize the woman standing. "As the guilty's animagus abilities mark him as a proven liability to retention in Azkaban, it is this court's recommendation that the guilty be sentenced to the dementor's kiss, to be carried out within the hour."

Harry understood why his father had wanted them to leave. Pettigrew was crying even harder. He disappeared for a moment, only for the chains that had been around the chair to ball in the middle around a squirming rat. He wasn't getting away. Harry didn't want to look around to see Remus or Sirius. However they felt or were dealing with this was private, Harry thought dimly.

Behind them, Ron's dad was hurrying Ron out of the courtroom as well. Ron looked as shocked as Harry felt.

"Do you wish to discuss anything you heard today, Harry?" his father asked when they were safely in their own quarters. Mr. Weasley had said that he would take Hermione home- or to the Burrow, Harry hadn't understood at the time

"No," Harry replied. He knew it- Pettigrew's death, or whatever that was- was probably needed, a way to be really sure that he wouldn't hurt anyone again. That prophesy that Neville heard had said that Pettigrew was going to help Voldemort come back to power, and that would be the worst thing. But that didn't mean that Riddle wouldn't come back another way. Until all of the horcruxes were gone, he was still out there.

Harry heard from Ron a few days later that it had happened like it was supposed to, the dementor's kiss. It was basically execution, even if the wizards didn't call it death. What happened to the body left over? Did it go to Saint Mungo's? Harry hadn't wanted to ask his father. It was good that Pettigrew couldn't hurt anyone else, and good that Sirius didn't kill him and get in worse trouble, but it still didn't feel good. It probably wasn't supposed to.

 **A/N: Thank you all for your continued support. It really keeps me going. I was intending to take another break here, but again, I won't need to do so. Your reviews have kept me productive, and ahead of schedule.**


	63. RECAP and Chapter 63 Fourth First Day

RECAP (skip to the chapter below if you don't need it and check out Chapter 41 for recap of years 1 and 2)

 **Year 3 and summer (Chapters 41- 62):**

 **Character Development:**

Harry has developed as strong familial relationship to his father and really to Dora as well. He takes school more seriously, though not perfectly (he is taking Arithmancy and Care of Magical Creatures), but is also pursuing quidditch systematically with and greater knowledge.

Ron has continued to mature over time, as seen in how he was willing to quickly end the fight with Hermione over Scabbers's apparent death. He is taking Muggle Studies and Care of Magical Creatures. The twins have also shown maturity beyond their years, telling Severus of the secret entrances to the school, and they have taken a particular interest in potions.

Hermione has struggled with how much of her magical life to tell her parents, and the rest of her family. She has learned to trust Professor Snape, but is not as trusting of other adult authority figures.

Draco has continued to question the beliefs he was raised in, and to grow in empathy towards muggleborns and house elves. He enjoys Care of Magical Creatures, and Hagrid's first year of teaching went much better when nothing went wrong with the hippogriffs. Ron and Draco have frequently been partnered in Creatures class, as Hermione and Harry are in a different section due to scheduling. Draco also knows that his father was a Death Eater and wants to distance himself from that.

Neville has come into his own earlier, with flying in the mornings with Ginny, Colin, and Draco, (though the strange group doesn't really talk about it, particularly Draco). He is also part of Harry's unofficial Defense practice group along with Ginny and Colin.

 **Departures from canon:**

Full Moon: I abided by the real full moon calendar for 1993-1994, so Remus was absent from the train and from the Shrieking Shack scene, but he still left Hogwarts essentially to take care of Sirius. Also, the time that Severus covered one of Harry's classes was later in the year than canon to fit with the full moon schedule.

Shrieking Shack and Trial: in addition to the trio, Draco, Neville, and Severus were present in the Shack. Pettigrew was captured and Black was hidden away. Later, Black was declared a free man and Pettigrew was given the dementor's kiss. Prominently, Professor Trelawney's second prediction, delivered to Neville, did not come true.

Horcruxes: Severus discovered horcruxes after analyzing the diary he destroyed in year 2. The summer after year 3, the locket was found and destroyed in the Black family manor, making it the third horcrux destroyed after the diary and the ring.

There may also have been one or two important things that you might have noticed were _missing_ , but I don't want to mention them yet. Say in a review if you know what I'm talking about. And now, onto the chapter!

Chapter 63- Fourth First Day

When Harry wasn't thinking about Pettigrew, the few days after Sirius's trial but before the beginning of school were the best. The aurors who had been on the team hunting Sirius Black- including Dora- were given the whole week off as the department restructured or something like that. Dora spent some of her time with Sirius, hunting for a new place for him to live as a free man- or multiple places, because Sirius said he wanted to see the world- but she spent most of the time with Harry and his dad, and that was the greatest.

They went to Diagon Alley for Harry's supplies, just the three of them, and got Florean Fortescue's ice cream at the end. The only unusual thing on his supply list was some dress robes, but Harry already had a few sets of dress robes, though he got another in case he grew even more.

Dora also spent some time helping her old mentor, Alastor "Mad-Eye" Moody into Hogwarts, at her insistence, and Harry's father had gone off to speak to the man, but Harry hadn't met him yet. Harry tried to spend some additional time with Godric and Salazar too, not wanting to neglect them in the school year. They made for good conversation and liked his snake patronus. When Harry didn't think about it, he would talk in parseltongue to his patronus- which wouldn't be very useful for sending a message, but Harry had spent enough time practicing using parseltongue and not with Godric and Salazar that he could manage. And now if he needed to send a message across the castle, he could do that too.

Very soon, it was time to ride the Hogwarts Express back to Hogwarts, a tradition Harry enjoyed partially _because_ it was so unnecessary for him. Harry and his father arrived early as always, and were there in time to see Hermione hugging and kissing her parents.

Neville was next to arrive, and the three got a large compartment. Dean and Seamus came as well, and most of the talk was of the Bulgarian vs. Irish match. So much had happened since then, Harry hadn't really thought back to the match itself much, but it was a great game.

Harry had been sad when his father told him that there wouldn't be a quidditch house cup this year with the Triwizard Tournament at Hogwarts. It wasn't a good trade in Harry's opinion, and Harry decided not to beak this news to the others; they'd learn soon enough. Maybe he could convince Angelina that the Gryffindor team would be better for having some practices this year anyway. It was an opportunity to get more experience than the other houses, and no one on their team was a seventh year, so they would all be still around for the next year's matches. So really, the team just needed to find a keeper to practice with, or perhaps two, and have a reserve team with fuller games. Anyone but Cormac McClaggan, after that disastrous few weeks of having him as a reserve chaser. Harry thought that Ron might have a real chance if he wanted to try.

Ginny came in and out of the compartment, as did Colin, who introduced his younger brother, Dennis, to everyone there.

Harry wondered what Draco was doing, because he didn't really seem as close to many of the people in his year in Slytherin anymore. Maybe he could invite Draco to their little Defense practice group, though Draco probably knew a lot of spells already.

When they finally got to Hogwarts, it was raining so hard that Harry was exceptionally glad that he was taking the covered carriages up to the school instead of the boats with Hagrid like the first years.

Harry tried to pay attention to the sorting, but mostly he was looking at their new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor. The man looked like Dora described, missing some nose and with lots of scars, and the eye… Dora had spent a lot of time describing that eye, too big for a normal eye socket and always moving. And Harry couldn't see the man's legs, but knew that one of them would be wooden.

Harry cheered along with the rest of Gryffindor as Dennis was sorted into their house, but he didn't recognize the name of anyone else in the year. If Colin wanted to bring Dennis to their next practice, that would be interesting, working with someone who knew almost nothing about magic- Harry wasn't sure if he could do it. But Harry was just like that a few years ago too. Dennis had probably at least picked up a few things from his older brother.

Then came the introduction of Professor Moody and the sparse applause from the hall, and the news of cancelled quidditch but also the Triwizard Tournament taking place at Hogwarts. Most people were thrilled with the news, but Harry did notice the disappointment of their quidditch team, and Fred and George deep in quiet conversation that not even Lee Jordan next to them was a part of. They barely looked up when an age restriction was mentioned before resuming their hushed conversation. Harry wondered if they were planning on entering already.

Harry laid down in his bed in Gryffindor Tower, hoping that His father was doing okay in their dungeons alone. But maybe Dora had come by after the feast. She still had a couple more days off. And Harry would see his father at breakfast the next morning. And Dora said that they could pick back up their metamorphmagus training if he wanted. Harry really didn't use his ability much, and he thought he could do just about anything he wanted, but he wouldn't turn down getting to see Dora more. He'd missed her in the last year.

Timetables the next morning was the talk of breakfast. Harry had Herbology with Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs, followed by Arithmancy with Hermione, and then a break and lunch before Care of Magical Creatures with Hermione and mostly Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws. Ron was still in the other Creatures class with most of the Gryffindors and Slytherins.

Herbology wasn't bad. Harry had managed to get Neville as his partner, and Neville already knew how to best collect the bubotuber pus, because he'd apparently helped Professor Sprout with it before sometime last year.

Arithmancy was… honestly only not Harry's _least_ favorite class because History of Magic was so much worse, but Arithmancy was maybe tied with Astronomy. They'd gotten into using numbers or something to predict the future, and Harry wasn't sure how Hermione could be so interested in this when she had hated Divination so much. Surely they weren't _that_ much different. What was the point of trying to predict the future when it could be changed? Like when Trelawney told Neville that weird prediction last term- maybe that would have come true if Pettigrew had gotten away, but he hadn't, so why worry about what could only _possibly_ happen? It seemed to Harry that if you got caught up in what could maybe happen, you're more likely to _make_ it happen by expecting it.

Hagrid's lessons could always be counted on not to be boring. The lesson started with the concept of cross breeding magical animals, and how it was usually illegal, but he got some special permission, and sometimes it was done to- advance the field or something.

Harry was somewhat skeptical about the usefulness or wisdom of encouraging the breeding of a thing called "Blast-Ended Skrewts" which he thought Hagrid probably got to name himself, because Harry wasn't sure who else would have wanted to breed a manticore and a fire crab. They were small now, but surely they would be more dangerous than Hippogriffs pretty soon. Harry wondered if Hagrid followed roughly the same lesson plans for all of his classes, or if the seventh years dealt with even _more_ dangerous things.

Raising the fire salamanders last year seemed pretty tame now, though he wondered if Draco ever got the fire salamanders to breed with the ice salamanders like he's wanted, and if that inspired this new plan of Hagrid's.

All in all, the day was a good one. Harry managed to talk to Angelina eventually, and she agreed to try to get the quidditch team together once a week. The sixth years that made up a lot of the team were past studying for their OWLs, but taking NEWT classes seemed just as bad. And the twins had their heads bent over some papers all the time, sometimes with Lee there too, and sometimes not. When they left the common room in the evening, Harry would bet that it wasn't to cause trouble or to sneak food, but to go down to the potions lab, where they had spent an increasing amount of time last term.

*****Severus*****

Severus could grudgingly admit that it _seemed_ like the idiots that came before him each year were more competent than the last. It seemed unlikely that eleven to thirteen-year-olds were improving as a kind, so his teaching must have been what had changed. Which implied that he had spent more than a decade as a drain on the education system, which brought into question more school practices than he cared to examine. But no one could change the past.

And now Severus was doing things like willingly associating with Alastor Moody, the man who had arrested him thirteen years ago.

 _"Hogwarts students have received unacceptably poor Defense training at Hogwarts for decades." Was his announcement of invading the man's presence. He wouldn't mention any history between them if Moody wouldn't._

 _Moody stared at him with those creepy, mismatched eyes. "I spent more than a decade training the lot good enough to get into auror training. And in my day, a fifth year could've beaten them," the retired auror said. So at least they had agreement on that matter. He would know what to teach their students._

 _"Good," Severus said, turning away, knowing from what he had heard that that damn eye would be following him across the castle._

 _"Tonks speaks highly of you, even when I didn't want to hear of it," the crippled old man said._

 _"The same of you," Severus replied._

 _"I think of her as a daughter," Moody said as if in warning._

 _"I had that understanding," Severus replied in non-answer._

 _"She says good things about- your son as well."_

 _"Harry is a good student, and an excellent young man," Severus said. Severus needed to stop thinking of Harry as just a boy, or he wouldn't really know his son. Though Harry had always been mature for his age, too mature._

 _"I look forward to teaching him," the old man said, turning away, though Severus saw the overlarge eye turning to follow Severus. He would ask Dora if she knew of any material or wards that Moody couldn't see through, in case he needed it._

Severus's last class of the first day had been third year Hufflepuff and Ravenclaws. Ravenclaws tended to be the easiest students to teach or the hardest. This particular group had seemingly done all that they could to distance themselves from their… strangest member, Luna Lovegood. All the others paired off, leaving Miss Lovegood pointedly alone or sometimes with a Hufflepuff. They had not apparently noticed that Miss Lovegood earned the highest marks of the year in his class, even if her essays were… filled with excess information of suspect validity.

Miss Lovegood appeared to be friends with the Weasley girl, and while Ginny Weasley didn't have her twin brothers' flair in potions, she was more than passable, one of the better students, with some ability to correct a potion after an error was made, an important skill. Perhaps a change in schedule for some of Miss Lovegood's classes… and now Severus Snape was considering the well-being of a teenage girl who was not in his house, or even his son's house. Harry didn't even know the girl as far as Severus knew, though they would probably get along well. Harry tended to like almost everyone. Severus had too many children- _students_ \- to consider the interpersonal issues of each adolescent.

It was interesting that Severus had not had a major behavioral issue in one of his classes in more than a year. In fact, he would need to find other opportunities to assign detentions at this pace. His thoughts were interrupted by another cause which seemed likely to make his evening uncomfortably interesting.

"Professor?" came George Weasley's voice. Severus already knew it was them, as multiple visitors rarely chose to both knock on his door. No one but the two of them.

"Come in," Severus called. Both boys so did and shut the door behind themselves. "Yes?" Severus asked.

"So- we told you last year about the passages onto the grounds but didn't say how we knew," George said.

"Yes, and I agreed not to ask for anything to bring trouble upon you," Severus said. It had been a fruitful agreement, or so he had thought. In actuality, closing entrances to Hogwarts did little as the true murderer was already inside Hogwarts and had been living in his son's room…

"But now we think that if we'd done more, it could have been more helpful."

"We just didn't want to give it up, and we're sorry. We thought stopping Black from coming in the grounds was enough," Fred added.

"But a murderer stayed in our little brother's room for years and we didn't even notice. And staying with Percy before him. We wouldn't _really_ want anything to happen to Percy either," said George.

"Though we don't actually _know_ if an animagus would show up on the map anyway," Fred added.

Ah, a map taught them secret pieces of Hogwarts and where people were? That would mean an end to castle rounds for Severus if it were reliable. Though the frequency of his rounds had decreased in recent years.

"Let me see it," Severus instructed. It was his duty to seize such an object of course- but then they were already bringing it to him.

"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good," Fred said, tapping his wand on a very old looking piece of folded parchment he had procured and held it out to Severus.

The outermost flap read:

Messrs Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs  
Purveyors of Aids to Magical Mischief-Makers  
are proud to present  
THE MARAUDER'S MAP*

Unfolding layers showed complexity he would not have expected. It appeared to be every Hogwarts occupant and where they were located. Digging to the bottom most level, Severus found their location and three labeled dots. Incredible. Teachers quarters, common rooms. A more detailed examination did not reveal the Chamber of Secrets though. It wasn't infallible, and he would need more tests. He could attempt to test the animagus aspect with Minerva, but he would need to explain the map, which he was reluctant to do. The mutt could be convinced, he was certain.

Something about those first words was still bothering him. The _mutt_. Black. Black had asked Harry to call him Padfoot. Lupin was Moony, Pettigrew Wormtail, and that left… very logically Potter to be Prongs. They had the talent, to make such a thing. Such wasted potential unable to achieve into adulthood- thoughts that he would deny thinking to the wolf and the mutt, but he was more certain that he would be able to test this now, or simply ask Remus.

He had been silent for some time. The children were waiting curiously, simply _interested_. Not even scared when handing over this clearly contraband item.

"And you brought this to me knowing that you would not be allowed to keep it?" Severus asked.

"Yes, sir," was the chorused response.

"But with the belief that you would come to no harm for coming forward?"

"We hoped," Fred responded cheerily.

"Seemed worth it anyway," George clarified. Damned noble Gryffindors. But he really shouldn't punish the good behavior.

"Get to Gryffindor Tower before curfew, or I will see you," Severus warned, waving the map. He was approaching the softness of custard.

The boys were already walking towards the door. "Tap it with your wand and say 'Mischief Managed' to wipe the map," Fred said, just before yanking the door open and leaving Severus in relative peace.

*****Draco*****

Being a fourth year was a strange, transitional time, not one of the younger years, but not an OWL or NEWT student. Not able to be a prefect. But he _was_ the quidditch team captain, a major responsibility and place of honour in the house. Which was tarnished by there not being any quidditch at all this year. It would push the limits of his leadership to instigate practices anyway, so he didn't know what he would do.

Foremost, Draco was glad to be back at Hogwarts and away from Malfoy Manor. He had avoided his father whenever possible, especially after the World Cup. It was better to be back in the dungeon room that he shared with four other boys. Even if he wasn't really friends with any of them. Blaise was a valuable associate, but could be tiresome to talk to. Theodore was quiet and Draco had long ago gathered that his father was a Death Eater too, and Draco had been trying to distance himself from that- maybe it wasn't fair to Theodore, but the boy never said anything. And Crabbe and Goyle were tiresome idiots with violent leanings. Still better than home. "Home." Slytherins didn't have _friends_ , they had personal and family alliances. If pressed, he might admit that he had something that resembled friendship with a handful of Gryffindors. Muggleborns, half-bloods, and blood traitors, and yet he liked them better than his Slytherin classmates. He needed to widen his social circles past Slytherin or Gryffindor.

There was something he had to do before he could sleep. Probably because he had spent too much time with Gryffindors, one in particular. Draco had waited until all of his dormmates were asleep, most of them snoring, and in his second check of the common room, it was empty as well.

"Dobby?" Draco whispered. He needed to know if the elf had made it to be safely and gainfully employed at Hogwarts. If he were here, no one would hurt the elf again.

Draco smiled as the little elf popped into being next to him. "Master Draco!" the elf shrieked, wrapping arms around Draco's legs.

"Shh… don't wake anyone up, Dobby," Draco warned. "But I'm glad you're here. Is Winky okay too?" he asked.

"Oh yes, and Winky is liking her Hogwarts uniform more than the pretty clothes she had. But Dobby is buying so much! Dobby is making ten galleons a week!" the elf whispered loudly. And is having one day with no work each week. It is too much, and Dobby is thinking he can sneaky work on day off. Dobby is saying it is too much, but that is what contract is saying," Dobby rambled.

"That's great, Dobby. I'm glad you like it here."

"Yes, and Dobby can still be serving Master Draco. Dobby can go anywhere except where Harry Potter goes, but Dobby is being a good elf not causing any trouble," Dobby went on. Draco was thinking that he needed to end the conversation.

"Dobby, I need you to leave before anyone comes down, and be as quiet as you can when you leave, okay?" Draco asked.

Dobby jumped to attention instantly with the request.

"Yes sir, Master Draco, sir. Just calls whenever you is needing Dobby," he reminded Draco, and popped away rather more quietly than he had arrived.

That was all good then. His father hadn't permanently ruined the life of that elf, and Draco had actually helped him. And it sounded like he had helped Winky too. Good.

 **A/N: Hope you liked it! I have been sick this week (just a bad cold, but I am one of the most pathetic people ever when I'm at all sick) and written almost nothing, so I'm so glad I had some pre-written. I did some editing at least. And I received so many reviews this past week, and it made me so happy! This story has well over a thousand total reviews now, thank you all for bringing me joy!**


	64. Chapter 64 Defenses

Chapter 64- Defenses

*****Harry*****

Harry was most interested in his upcoming Defense Against the Dark Arts class, since all of this other classes were the same classes and teachers from the year before. And this teacher was actually called _mad_ even if it was partly just for his eye.

As they all sat down, Moody paced along the front of the room, _step clunk, step clunk_.

"You lot haven't had the same defense teacher twice, and it shows in the deplorable level of auror recruits. Since none of the fifth or sixth years knew silent casting, I'd bet you lot didn't either. Hand down," Moody growled, even though his back was to them. Hermione put her hand down. Harry knew about silent casting, and had practiced against it some with his dad and Dora, but he wasn't very good at it himself. "We'll work on it next term. Books away. You read on your own time to make yourself better. Anything you can read, not just defense books."

Students scrambled to obey. Not even Hermione looked disappointed. The best classes were the practical ones.

"Anyone who thinks they can use at least one defensive spell and two offensive spells in light combat conditions, on that side. Everyone else, other side," Moody pointed.

Only Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Neville moved to the first side. When the students were clear, the desks vanished and everyone's belongings slid together to one corner. Harry made note that he should try summoning all of his things after, for the challenge and to avoid sorting through it all.

"Now, that's Potter, a Weasley, and Longbottom. Who are you? You can speak now, girl."

"Granger, Hermione Granger, sir. I'm a muggle born," Hermione added.

"Granger attacking, Longbottom defending. Two different offensive spells, non-lethal force, go," he instructed. Everyone in the class watched.

Harry and Ron got out of the way, and then Hermione sent a stunning spell, and incarcerus at Neville, both cast quietly but not silently. Neville blocked both with a shouted protego.

"Good. You four practice while I help the rest. I will switch next class period. If I get you with a stunner, no complaining."

After that, it felt very similar to the four of them just practicing on their own, until Ron fell over, and not from anything Harry had cast.

"CONSTANT VIGILANCE!" Moody yelled from across the room.

In the end, Harry was the only one to block one of Moody's silent stunners, but he had missed one before that, and missed two after, because Moody seemed to enjoy targeting him after his one success. Harry didn't mind. He needed the practice. He did find himself wishing that he had a magical eye like Moody, but… maybe not one so… distinct looking.

Harry remembered what Dora had said about Moody liking to talk about his scars and asked, "What's your favourite scar?" when the class was almost over and Moody was setting the desks back to right. Every head in the class snapped towards him, except for Moody's. Moody turned slowly around, but as he turned, Harry could see that Moody's magic eye had already been pointed his way.

"Each teaches a lesson," Moody all but growled, but he was smiling. He ran a knobby, scarred finger down his nose, "The last time I used the killing curse," he said. "I didn't have up a shield to block what he sent back. But shield or not, if he used the same spell against me that I got him with, I'd be dead. And I knew that going in, with my leg gone already, I wasn't quick enough to dodge. But we'll talk about unforgivables on another day, and you lot will be wanting to get to supper," he said, turning away. But Harry knew he was still watching all of them. Turning hid back had become an advantage for Moody, the idea that people would think they weren't being watched when they were.

No one was in a rush to get to dinner that day.

*****Harry*****

Harry walked up to the owlery in his free period, reading over the last few sentences he had written.

 _Dear Padfoot and Remus,_

 _I heard that you were looking at houses, how is that going? Where do you want to live? They announced the Triwizard Tournament coming back, and I was thinking that you would have liked something like that. They have an age limit of seventeen though. But it should be interesting to watch. The students from the two other schools are arriving just before Halloween. I wonder if the whole school will come (though I don't know where they would fit), or only the ones over seventeen who want to try to compete, and if they will combine and take Hogwarts classes, or bring their own teachers, or have to study on their own._

 _My classes are going well. I had my first Defense class, and Professor Moody seems really good, but we all still wish you had stayed our teacher, Remus._

 _I hope you are both doing well._

 _Harry._

He had decided to indulge Sirius's request to call him Padfoot. He hadn't been really sure what to say, especially how to end the letter, but it felt… nice to have someone outside of Hogwarts that he could write to. Not that he couldn't have written to Dora anytime, but he did see her often, so it seemed silly. And he could write to the Weasleys, he guessed, but it would feel weird writing to someone else's mum and dad. But Sirius and Remus would like the letter, he thought- Sirius had told him to write any time after all, and Hedwig would like the visit.

His beautiful snowy owl landed on his arm and bit his finger, hard in greeting.

Harry winced but kept his voice gentle, "Hey girl, sorry I haven't come up here in a while. I just saw you at breakfast," he reminded her. Hedwig often came to breakfast with the other owls, even when she didn't have anything to deliver, which was almost all the time.

"Are you up for a long journey, girl?" he asked her.

Hedwig brushed her head against the hand that still held Harry's letter and held out her leg. Harry could tell that he was forgiven.

"I don't know where Sirius and Remus are- can you still find them?" Harry asked. He had heard that magical owls could find almost anyone, but that made less sense than a lot of magic. He'd only really sent Hedwig to Ron and Hermione before, and even with Ron, he almost always just used the floo.

Hedwig looked like she might bite him again. She ruffled her feathers and stuck out her leg further, clearly insulted. Harry didn't need to "speak owl" like he could "speak snake" to understand Hedwig, and she understood him just fine, and didn't think much for his judgements. Harry decided that if he didn't want to keep getting scolded by his owl, he should tie on the letter and let her leave.

When Hedwig was out of sight, Harry hailed down another, less distinctive school owl to bear another message. He didn't know enough about Slytherin politics to know if he could just walk up to Draco when he was around other people without embarrassing the other boy. None of the Slytherins had been mean to him at all, even over quidditch, ever since it came out that his dad was his dad, but they mostly just didn't interact either, except Draco.

 _Draco,_

 _We (Hermione, Ron, Ginny, Colin, Neville, and I) practice Defense sometimes in the second empty classroom on the seventh floor to the right of the main stairs. We haven't met this year, but I was thinking about tomorrow night after dinner. Would you like to come? We had a good time this summer at the birthday party, so I thought you might like it. If you want to join us, we could even move down a few floors next time._

 _Your Friend,_

 _Harry_

Good. And Draco probably knew lots of spells, so they could all learn new ones together. Harry had enjoyed reading Defense books as well, and their new professor basically told them to keep learning on their own.

*****Severus*****

Severus was resentful that he would miss some of his quiet evening with Dora because the mutt wanted to see him, probably to say that he'd finally found another place to live and was vacating Severus's house. Black was just lucky that Severus hadn't cared to throw him out the moment he had been released from his trial- or before then for that matter. Though Severus couldn't imagine _why_ the mongrel had stayed after that.

When Severus arrived, Black was standing in front of the floo, waiting for him. Remus several paces away, oddly watching.

The mutt looked… good. Better than at his trial even. Tanned, in new robes. Smiling, which Severus realized the dog hadn't done much since their childhood.

"You are looking well," Severus commented.

"Thanks. Getting out in the sun as a human… and Remus and Milly's help. And I've been a couple times- well, every day since the trial, really, to that head healer Dora recommended. She said I'm a ' _fascinating case,'"_ the wizard said with a small smile. The mutt hadn't changed, no doubt flirting with his healer. "But really, it's all thanks to you," he said, holding out his hand.

Sirius Black holding out his hand for Severus Snape to shake.

Maybe the man had changed.

Maybe Severus wasn't even surprised. After all, Severus had changed quite a lot since they were children- and more recently than that.

Severus slowly reached out and shook the other wizard's hand.

"And you've done a very good job with Harry. He's a nice young man. Better than any of us were at that age, expect maybe Lily." It was true that any parent enjoyed compliments of his son. It was decent of Black. "I- just would have messed him up if I hadn't been in Azkaban. I- we'll get out of your house now. But if there's anything I can do-" he let trail.

Severus pulled out the old map. He had been meaning to ask Remus about it anyway. Both men recognized it immediately, and Remus stepped forward beside Black.

"That's _not_?" Remus asked.

"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good," Severus activated the map. "I would like a more thorough explanation of this object's abilities and limitations," Severus said.

"Figured us out, did you?" Black asked. "Would have been appalled at the thought of telling you, but what do you wanna know? How'd you get it anyway?"

"A few young, partially reformed miscreants entrusted it to me. I did not ask where they got it and did not mention my discernment of its origin."

"We let Filch nick it seventh year. Decided if the next troublemakers wanted it, they could steal it from him," Black commented.

"Does it show those in animagus form?" Severus asked.

"Of course. Pretty easy for us to get that part right. Also isn't tricked by invisibility cloaks. Don't think it would be tricked by anything, really." Severus made mental note to check polyjuice potion. He doubted metamorphmagus transformation would confuse it, but that was simple to test as well.

"And the areas on the map? I notice it includes student living areas beyond Gryffindor, as well as teacher's quarters, but I happen to know at least one area not on the map," Severus said.

"Well, we never found where Dumbledore sleeps, but most of the rest wasn't too hard. We sent in Wormtail to spy, and a rat can get most any place, and we rigged it where he didn't have to do much actual magic."

"Did you mean the Chamber of Secrets?" Remus asked. He had been silent for a while.

"What?" came Black.

"Yes," Severus confirmed. "Are there any other things I should be aware of?"

"If you stand by a place, like the one-eyed witch, it'll tell you the password. Only static passwords though, not Dumbledore's or the houses'. We couldn't figure how to make that work. Not much else to it though-shows every person in the castle or the grounds."

"What about animals? I was able to see my snake on the map." Severus had noticed that house elves appeared on the thing as well.

"Er, yeah, pets and such, but not bugs. Mostly having a name makes the difference. Names are always important. I suppose if a kid had a pet roach, it would show up."

Severus wiped the map and put it back in an inner pocket. That was good to know. And the mutt hadn't even made an attempt to reclaim the map.

"I don't know if I've said it before, but I'm sorry for- all the stuff we did to you as a kid," Black said nervously.

"Very sorry, Severus," Remus added. The wolf had said it before, but Black? What was he supposed to say to that? Surely he wasn't expected to apologize as well? Some of his own efforts had pushed further than necessary. And in many ways, he was responsible for…

"We all have things we regret from our youth," Severus settled on slowly. "Thank you." There. He had actually thanked the mutt- when really, the mutt owed Severus thanks- though Black _had_ already given his thanks.

"Take care," Black said, headed quickly for the floo, likely as uncomfortable as Severus, Remus following more slowly behind.

"You as well," Severus found himself saying. And Severus didn't even feel the need to check his house for traps. The old dog wouldn't have done it now. Severus returned to Hogwarts more contemplative even than usual.

And found Dora sitting up from her sprawled position on his sofa.

"Seeing Sirius?" Dora asked, not sounding as tired as she had looked.

"He has finally acquired other residence," Severus said. Not that it had been that long- not much more than a week after the man's trial. And it wasn't like Severus was using the place.

"Good. I'm sure you're glad to see him go. It was so good for you to have put up him and Remus though."

"I shook his hand," Severus commented.

"What?" Dora asked, grinning.

"His idea," Severus clarified. "He said thank you, held out his hand, and I shook it. And then he said he was sorry."

"And what did you do?" Dora pressed.

"A bit of a Slytherin apology," Severus admitted.

"Wow. And I was just hoping you accepted his," Dora said, crawling into his lap. " _You_ are amazing," she said, kissing him softly, hands on his cheeks.

She must be delusional, but she was the highest functioning delusional Severus had encountered, and Severus's lap was full with this beautiful, most spirited witch he had ever met, so he wouldn't complain.

*****Harry*****

Draco came to their next defense practice, and Harry was surprised at how not a big deal everyone thought it was. Colin was even bragging to Draco that he and Ginny were the only third years in their class who had known two offensive spells and a defensive spell, and Draco was commenting conversationally that many Slytherins had been able to do so.

"So- you two know each other?" Harry asked.

"Oh, yeah," Colin said easily. "Draco, Ginny, Neville, and I fly a lot of mornings. Draco could be a good seeker if he wanted to be. He's about as good as Ginny."

"But I'm a better chaser, and that's what matters," Ginny teased, pushing Draco's arm.

Draco didn't seem to mind.

"Won't get to find out this year, will we? Besides, your captain's too dim witted to give you a chance before someone graduates," Draco shot back. It was… practically a compliment. And the way Ginny had been so familiar with him… they were obviously friends. Were they _flirting_?

Harry ignored that thought and preceded to partner off with Draco, leaving the others to their own devices, so he could see what the blond Slytherin knew.

Mostly, he learned that Draco knew a lot of spells, but his reflexes weren't as quick. Probably faster than some of their group, but not as fast as Harry. Maybe about even with Ginny or Ron. But he knew all the spells that Harry had been teaching the group except for the patronus charm. He also used a few that Harry had learned just with his dad, and a few Harry hadn't done before, but recognized from books. Draco tended to yell loudly when he cast too.

They did have an uneven number again though. Maybe young Dennis Creevy would be a good addition. Harry had observed that Neville liked the teaching role at least as well as Harry did, and probably wouldn't mind working often with the younger boy. Or maybe the others would have suggestions of who to bring. They would need to find a bigger empty classroom at some point, or learn how to vanish the desks instead of just clumping them together.

The Chamber of Secrets would be more than big enough, and it had come to his mind. Harry had _maybe_ taken a trip or two down there that summer that he wasn't sure if his father would be pleased to learn about. But his father _had_ said that it was safe and there was nothing down there. And summer was long and could get boring, even when his home was a magical castle. But he couldn't ask Ginny to go back down there. And besides, the other boys might not like having to sneak into a girl's loo.

*****Harry*****

The next Defense Against the Dark Arts classes were even better than the first, with Professor Moody spending more of it seeing what Harry and the other three had been working on, and giving them some advice, most of which Harry already knew, but it was still pretty great. He also told them to work on conjuring and summoning, and Harry was pretty sure he knew why.

It was what happened after class that really surprised him.

"Hey, Harry, hurry up," Dean Thomas called.

Harry left the classroom to find all of the rest of his class waiting there.

"So, you know a lot of spells from your dad and taught the others, right?" Dean asked. Seamus was standing next to him, the girls of their year sort of behind, but they were all there too.

"Er, yeah, basically," Harry said, though it sounded intentional when Dean said it, when really, it just sort of happened. It wasn't that he had meant to leave out Dean, or Seamus, or any of the others.

"Can we join?" Dean asked.

"Yeah, of course. The second empty classroom on the seventh floor to the right of the main stairs."

Harry's other classes were all alright, some better than others. Some of his teachers were already talking about OWLs, when really Hermione didn't need any more encouragement.

With all of the school work already piling up, Harry was glad to start something as normal as quidditch practice, even if it wasn't official and he'd had to do most of the organizing himself, even though he wasn't the captain. He couldn't really blame Angelina- ever since finding out about the Triwizard Tournament and knowing that she'd be seventeen by the time the other schools arrived, she was mostly only interested in that. And she was in NEWT classes on top of it.

So Harry had brought Ron along to be keeper for them, and the other boy understood that it didn't mean that he was on the team, though Harry hoped he would be after an official try out maybe later in the year. Ron was just excited to play, and to use Harry's Firebolt again.

Harry thought that Ron did pretty well, making a lot of saves, even with two teams worth of chasers shooting on one keeper- though Harry did wonder if some of the players were trying as hard as usual. Ginny was definitely doing her best, scoring more goals than anyone else by the end of practice. Harry and Colin mostly worked among themselves as always, dodging a bludger or two as needed. Colin was still rather afraid of the bludgers, too easily distracted by them.

"So, if you can take that, playing in a regular game is a breeze," Harry said to Ron as they landed, practice over.

"Harry, ready for the _other_ practice tonight?" Dean asked. He seemed pretty excited about their defense practice.

"Having more practice behind our backs?" Angelina asked, trying to sound amused, but Harry didn't want her to feel hurt, or like he thought she wasn't doing a good job as captain.

"No, no, it's just defense spell practice. Just some people in our year and younger, so we're more ready for Professor Moody's class," Harry explained.

"They're all great. I never would have thought that _Neville_ would be so good at defense. And Harry blocks most of Mad-Eye's spells now," Dean went on.

"It's just some early year stuff," Harry brushed off.

"No, it's not," Ginny corrected. "I'm _this_ close to a corporeal patronus. It's definitely big and's got four legs. And Harry already helped Ron and Hermione get theirs."

"You two?" Fred asked Ron. "What's yours look like?"

"Er- a dog. Just a terrier," Ron said with a nervous smile.

"We're in, Harry," George said. "When and where?"

"Sounds like good experience for anyone wanting to enter in the tournament," Angelina agreed.

"The second empty classroom on the seventh floor to the right of the main stairs, after dinner," Harry told them. If he wasn't careful, he'd get more people than he could handle, but Harry also didn't want to turn anyone away. They'd be fine. Probably they'd be excited now but wouldn't show up. How many people really wanted to get advice from a fourth year?

…It was more than he had expected in that room after dinner. With the Gryffindor quidditch team, all of Harry's year, Dennis Creevy and what looked like all of the first year Gryffindor boys. Then apparently, Parvati brought Padma, who brought several Ravenclaws from their year too. Draco and Ginny were talking to them. Harry looked around the classroom full of students, more people than were ever one of the practical classes they'd have. With this many spells going around, someone could get hurt.

"Well, we've outgrown the room. I think if half of us go one room over, that should work. A mix of age and experience levels in each room, so that it's a different environment than regular class. And I can go between the rooms."

"Isn't there a bigger place somewhere? I like us all being together. Do you think we could use the Great Hall? Maybe your dad could make that happen." Colin Creevy asked. Dennis and his first year friends backed Colin up immediately. Perhaps Colin was a bit of a leader of the younger boys.

"I- don't think so," Harry said. Though maybe he needed to consider asking about the Great Hall. At this rate, they wouldn't even fit in two classrooms soon.

"There's a place," came a quiet voice. Ginny's. Harry watched as she stepped forward. "Quiet, out of the way. More than big enough," she declared. "And you can get us there," she said looking Harry in the eyes.

"Where?" piped Ron.

"The Chamber of Secrets," she said.

Murmurs of curiosity and maybe something else went through the crowd.

"Er- Ginny, can I talk to you outside for a minute?" Harry asked. Everyone who knew enough looked worried- all of the Weasleys, Hermione, Colin and- maybe Draco.

"Ginny, do you know how I can open the Chamber of Secrets?" Harry asked quietly on the other side of the door.

"There's a snake on the sink, and you talk to it, and it opens. I know it's dirty down there, but I bet Milly would clean it."

"I- how did you?" Harry asked.

"I made Ron tell me all that he could about all of it a while ago. I _needed_ to know," she said simply.

"So, you know why I don't want to open it in front of a bunch of people that might get the wrong idea."

"So? Harry, your dad's Slytherin and nobody cares. He saved me from the Chamber. Everyone will just think that you got it from him, and you probably did- skipping a generation or something. Do you think we'd really care you can talk to snakes? Now, go back in there and talk to them," Ginny instructed. They had never had a conversation anything like this before, never talked about much besides quidditch. Ginny Weasley wasn't the scared little girl anymore, or – apparently, the little girl with a crush on him…

And he did. He went back to everyone and said, "Er- yeah, I can get us into the Chamber of Secrets, but it has to get cleaned first, so next time, meet on the first floor, one classroom to the right of Moaning Myrtle's loo."

For the rest of the time, he was concentrating on helping others with spell work and avoiding questions about the Chamber of Secrets.

Harry wasn't surprised when Neville took over the group of first years, though Colin helped some too, especially with his little brother. Harry found himself working with mostly older students on the Gryffindor quidditch team and Draco. He thought Hermione and Ron were partnering with their own year mates to help them as well. And until they had more room, nothing more dangerous than a stunner was allowed.

*****Severus*****

Severus poured again over the map in front of him. Such craftsmanship, and for it still to be working decades later... He was surprised at how many private teachers' quarters were included, and like the Marauders, he began to wonder when Albus slept and if it was at his desk.

It led to too much nosiness when there really wasn't much to see on a quiet night like this. For instance, Filius seemed to have three animals roaming his rooms, while Minerva had none- perhaps not as much of a cat person as suspected. Or perhaps she had lost too many in her long life. He knew too many sad stories of the Deputy Headmistress.

There were two students in the infirmary, both Hufflepuff second year girls, and Severus wondered if it was from a fight or a different matter. Whenever his young Slytherin girls had… questions, he knew many of them spoke to the matronly woman. Students had warmed to him in recent years, but he was not often subjected to _that_.

There were no students roaming the halls, no Slytherins younger than fifth years still in the Slytherin common room. The same was not true of Gryffindor, but Harry and his closest friends were all in their respective beds.

Filch alone was walking the corridors, and his cat. Severus had not spent many sleepless hours doing that in recent years. Thanks to Harry. And Dora. It was all thanks to Dora.

Alastor Moody seemed to never stop moving, even within his quarters. He must have learned not sleeping from Albus. It was also because of Dora that Severus did not truly hate the man. It was a strange occurrence for the newest Defense Against the Dark Arts professor _not_ to be a likely hazard for his son's safety. Quirrell for his alliances, Lockheart for his incompetence, Lupin for his affliction. If the mad man dared to go against the curse, he might be a suitable permanent teacher, or permanent for as many years as the old wizard could. As loathe as Severus would be to admit it to the man's face.

*****Harry*****

Harry had thought that their _last_ meeting had a big group, but this one was much bigger, filling the empty classroom that Harry had mentioned. Harry went in the loo, relieved that Myrtle wasn't hanging around- and opened the passage (which was now a clean slide thanks to Milly), before getting everyone else to come down. And there was a lot of people. And about half of them had brooms to fly back up- a plan that they had made and spread word for- so they'd manage.

Everyone that had been at the last… session had come back, plus some more Gryffindors that Harry couldn't identify the years of, but probably half of the house at least. And there were more Ravenclaws, including Cho Chang, and some Hufflepuffs- including Cedric Diggory, who was standing very close to Cho Chang- and even a few more Slytherins, girls that Harry recognized from their class but had never spoken to. They were talking with some Ravenclaw girls, and Draco was around, staring at the chamber and standing near Ginny again. Ginny looked alright.

"Er- let's start with conjuring," he said to the group. "Conjuring a physical object can be a great way to stop a spell, but also, it's nice to have cushions when you fall, so let's start with those. Flat and big if you can, so you can walk on them without tripping. For me, it's easier to do a foam cushion that's the same throughout," he conjured up a white, foam cushion, "but Hermione can show you how to make some really pretty pillows if you want. And er- younger years, if you don't know how to conjure yet, just spread out the cushions that the older years make." That seemed good. The place was remarkably clean, but it would hurt if a student fell.

"And after that, we'll pair up for duels, stunners only, and instead of a blocking charm, try to block it with a summoned or conjured pillow. If you can cast silently, do it. Or if you can't, whisper. And- if you don't know how to summon or conjure, go over there and we'll work on that," he said, pointing. He was pretty sure that at least Neville would help him with that, and then he could still make rounds and get in a few duels himself.

"Why not just use protego?" Seamus asked.

"Because there's some spells that protego won't block," Harry said.

"Hey Harry, what do you call us?" came a voice that Harry hadn't identified.

"What?" he asked.

"Yeah," Ginny agreed. "A secret club needs a name."

"It's not secret," Harry protested. "Anyone's welcome."

"Well, no teachers know, do they? And we're meeting in a chamber thought to be a myth for a thousand years. Seems pretty secret to me," Ginny said again.

"How about the Defense Association?" That was Cho.

"We- don't need a name," Harry protested weekly.

"How about just the DA?" Ginny said, and Harry thought she was staring at Cho in particular.

"How are the cushions coming?" Harry asked instead before returning to conjure them on his own. They weren't doing anything wrong. They weren't breaking any school rules for sure. They weren't breaking curfew or going anywhere specifically forbidden. Though it was true that he hadn't told his father…

Harry went to bed that night especially tired, but proud of what they had done that day. He didn't intend to wake up a few hours later, screaming.

 **A/N: What do you think that is about? Did you like the chapter, the DA? This was almost two, short chapters until I combined them, so I hope you like the result.**


	65. Chapter 65 Snake Vision

Chapter 65- Snake's Vision

*****Harry*****

 _Harry knew there was an intruder in the house even before Master. Master was still weak. Master needed her, especially when the follower was away. This was a different two-legger. She could taste him. Old, not healthy. But still a danger to Master._

 _She slipped along dim hallways, but knew the way perfectly._

There _. She could barely see the prey because it tried not to move, but the two-legger was there. And afraid. Harry flicked her tongue once more, to be sure of where to strike and-_

Harry woke up screaming with the searing pain of his scar. He quieted quickly when he knew where he was. In Hogwarts, Gryffindor Tower. With his four sleeping roommates.

"Wa- Harry?" Ron's bleary voice asked.

"I'm fine. Go back to sleep," he managed, already wrapped up in his dressing gown and slipping into his slippers. Ron must have listened to him, and the other boys hadn't woken up.

Harry had his invisibility cloak on and was halfway to the portrait hole before he turned back to the fireplace instead. He was shaken up already, and his father wouldn't really want him walking through the corridors at night. Was there floo powder there though? Harry had only used the floo to Gryffindor Tower the other way, from their rooms in the dungeons. Hogwarts couldn't have students just floo-ing home whenever they wanted, could they? Harry couldn't find any, but he figured that he should try one more thing. It was starting to feel less urgent now anyway. It was maybe just a headache. And a really bad dream.

"Er- Milly?" Harry called. He usually didn't call for Milly while school was in session, and he never had in the middle of the night.

Milly popped next to him anyway. "Yes, Master Harry."

"Er- can I floo to my dad's room?"

"Only to Professor McGonagall and only your head, Master Harry, but I can take you there, sir," the cheerful elf replied. She had probably already been awake then, which made Harry feel better. House elves did sleep, didn't they? He hadn't asked where yet.

"I didn't wake you up, did I?" he asked.

"Oh no, Master Harry."

"That's good. Er- where do you sleep?" Harry asked.

"The dormitory is connected to the kitchens."

"And you have a bed and everything?" Harry asked. He didn't like the idea of Milly sleeping in a food closet.

"There is beds," Milly replied. "Like yours but smaller. No curtains."

"And- when do you sleep?" he asked, even though it felt like prying. But he didn't want to call on her when she might be asleep.

"My sleep is hour after breakfast."

"Oh. But you don't sleep all day in the summer holiday," Harry said.

Milly looked appalled, "Not sleep _all day_. I is only sleeping the hour after breakfast. Then there is meal preparations again, then another sleep shift for other elves. Elves is not needing as much sleep as students."

"Oh, well, that would be useful," Harry said. "Can you take me to my dad now?" Harry asked, though he was now wondering if Milly had her own bed, or if someone in the next "shift" used the same one, but he hadn't quite wanted to ask. He did mentally add Milly to his Christmas gift list though. Would she have a place to put a nice blanket?

When he was next to the fire place in their downstairs he was feeling really foolish, but he was already there.

"Milly?" his father called from his bedroom.

"I is bringing Master Harry, sir," Milly said.

"Harry?" his father's voice was coming closer now until he opened the door, tying his dressing gown over his sleep shirt, not wearing slippers, even though he would scold Harry for it. "Thank you, Milly. You may leave us," he said and Milly popped away. Harry still hadn't said anything. "What's wrong, Harry?"

"I-" how could he explain it. "I had a dream. But I didn't think it was a dream. It didn't feel like one. I- I was a snake, a big er- female snake, moving around this big house. And my- master was in a chair, but I never saw his face. And there was an intruder, because only my master and the follower belonged in the house, and this two-legger didn't and- it was weird like I was really in the snake's head, but I think that's what it _would_ really be like. And- then I found this old man and- and I woke up so I didn't see the end but- he was going to die. And I was really sure it was real. And my scar hurt really badly, and it hasn't hurt at all since Quirrell, but I don't really feel it now. But it must have just been a dream and, I'm sorry I woke you up."

*****Severus*****

Severus listened to his son lay out what he expected to be a product of years of repressed trauma but it… when Harry said "master" it felt off. And his scar hurting…

"And I meant to tell you earlier, but I started practicing spells with Hermione and Ron, and then some others joined, and then some more, and some more, and we got too big to fit in a classroom, so we had one meeting in the Chamber of Secrets. I got Milly to clean it and we didn't break any rules at all really-" Harry went on and on too quickly when Severus was still worried about the scar pain.

"Harry." Severus said and the boy stopped. He couldn't… think about that now. The boy didn't look to be overly alarmed. He seemed more concerned that he would be in trouble over a defense club with a rather questionable location.

"Thank you, Harry, for telling me. I have never had a dream like that, but I will let you know if I can confirm its truth. I need to speak to the Headmaster. Do you feel okay to use the floo to take you back to Gryffindor Tower? You can call Milly if you need me," Severus said, trying to fully process everything Harry had said and not appear worried in front of the boy. Not yet.

"Okay," Harry said, smiling easily. "I won't be in trouble for going to the Chamber of Secrets?" he asked.

"I wish you had asked me to help you- find another location, but you are not _currently_ in trouble. Now I would like you to try to go back to sleep. Practice the Occlumency exercises we talked about, okay?" Severus had the ability to speak calmly when his mind was racing.

Harry nodded, "Goodnight, Dad" and walked to the floo.

He had disappeared just as Severus managed to say, "Good night," in return. It was not a good night.

Severus didn't really believe in seers, any more than he absolutely had to. Harry was not a seer, and seers didn't _see_ like that. And yet with the scar pain, Severus was inclined to believe that this was something legitimate, that had or would happen. And Harry had good instincts. Better than Severus's, who hadn't even used Occlumency or the pensieve to see the memory of this… dream that could be so significant. He would have to ask Harry to see it later.

Severus was… suspecting that Harry had a connection to a snake owned by Tom Riddle. A Tom Riddle with some physical form, at least as physical as he had been in Harry's first year. Harry was a parselmouth, an ability that had never been explained. And a scar that had hurt only hurt before when it had something to do with Riddle.

He couldn't do this- he needed to speak to Albus. Severus was checking the map as he walked just to confirm that Albus was in his office. Did the man ever sleep?

"Did you know?" Severus demanded. Even Albus looked surprised, and the man would have known that Severus was coming up his stairs. But his attire was probably the cause of shock. Bare footed in a dressing gown in the middle of a cold early October night.

"Did I know what, Severus? Are you feeling alright?" The grandfatherly headmaster asked.

"That my son has one of Riddle's horcruxes in his head," Severus seethed, saying it aloud at last. Forcing himself to think of it. It was what fit, the only thing that he could imagine that fit, and Severus should have realized it sooner.

"I did not _know_ , Severus. After mention of Harry's scar hurting and his ability to speak parseltongue, and our discovery of Tom's horcruxes, I… suspected. But I had no more information than you did and no way to confirm this theory. Why so prematurely mention such an unpleasant possibility without grounds?"

"You should have told me. Any suspicion, you should have told me," Severus declared.

"I didn't know anything. Now Severus, tell me, what has made _you_ so certain?"

"Harry had a dream vision accompanied by scar pain where he saw through the eyes of a snake. After that, everything fell into place. I believe Riddle has acquired some physical form with the help of one follower but is still weak, and the snake is a horcrux as well. Harry saw the snake kill an old man, probably a curious muggle. If you find him, we could know where they are. Unless they dispose of the body elsewhere, or relocate." That seemed likely. Tom wasn't an idiot to allow himself found when he was still weak.

"So, my task is to find Tom's victim," Dumbledore agreed.

"Two victims. The old man and whoever Riddle killed to make the snake horcrux. Riddle never had a familiar before, so I believe it is new. He probably killed a wizard or witch. Possibly significant to Riddle's return. I will view Harry's dream myself tomorrow but I- do not doubt its authenticity given the… explanatory details."

"Thank you, Severus. A thorough plan. I confess, I would be interested to view the dream as well."

"You should have told me when you first suspected," Severus said, reduced to repeating himself, which he hated.

"And what would that have accomplished, Severus?"

"I would have had more time to plan how to remove it safely, which I will do," Severus said calmly, when his heart was beating out of control. He would do it. It had to be possible. He wouldn't face any alternative.

"You can't tell him yet, Severus," Albus warned. "He's not ready to hear it."

"I will tell my son what I think best, _when_ I think best," Severus said, readying himself to leave, truly to flee.

"I didn't want it to be true," Albus whispered. Severus looked back at the broken old man. He looked tired. "Perhaps that is why I did not share my speculation, Severus."

"Then we will make it not true," Severus declared, running from the room. And from their problem. Multiple problems. There was the snake horcrux to destroy from an unknown, likely heavily protected location, Tom Riddle returned to some sort of body, and a loyal, unknown Death Eater who wasn't even incompetent Pettigrew at his side. If he wished, Severus could still hold onto small hope that it wasn't true at all. That there was no dead muggle. That it wasn't… He would leave that confirmation to Albus. And then perhaps, he would know where Riddle was. And even if Riddle wasn't mortal yet, mustn't he still try, to do what damage he could? He was turning into a damn Gryffindor himself.

Severus needed to look at this analytically, to see if there were any possible advantages to this new knowledge. Riddle didn't intend, and likely didn't know what had happened to Harry. Perhaps that connection could be used to their advantage.

It was progress in some way, surely. Their previous ignorance did not mean the snake did not exist. They had already destroyed the diary, the ring, and the locket, knew of the cup, theorized of the diadem, and his search for a Gryffindor artifact… this was falling apart. Riddle would have wanted seven. Or six, and the seventh part of his soul would be the one remaining in his body. He couldn't have felt complete, or he wouldn't have made the snake a horcrux.

And all of this was meaningless if he couldn't get the horcrux out of his son, because he wouldn't let Harry be killed, no matter what it damned the rest of the world to. He wouldn't allow it. They would hide from the world if they had too. Harry would be difficult to convince. As would Dora, and Severus pictured her there too, couldn't picture his life without her at least popping in and out of it. But Severus would manage… something.

*****Severus*****

In the next days, Severus paid little attention to his normal duties. Students performed well enough to avoid catastrophe. Severus had stopped caring when whole tables of students worked together, which had drastically reduced the rate of incidents.

Telling Dora had been hard. And he still needed to tell Harry. He just… wanted to have more of a plan first. Any small hope.

 _"Severus, what's wrong?" she had asked, sprawled out on his couch._

 _He had been rereading every book that mentioned horcruxes that he had collected since discovering them. The most that he had found was a small reference that a living thing could be made into a horcrux, but that it wasn't a secure means to preserve life, because the horcrux would be no more when the host creature died. There was nothing on destroying a horcrux without killing the host. These sorts of books were more interested in creation than destruction._

 _He was falling apart, and Dora's question, almost a day after Severus's discovery was the last piece. In that day, he had not left his rooms. The school was lucky that it was Saturday, but he would have been no good to students. Milly had brought meals without his asking, and he had eaten some of it, he thought._

 _Severus sat down beside Dora and cried. When was the last time he had cried?_

 _She held him, and made it almost not too much to bear._

 _He managed a semblance of the story eventually- that Harry was a horcrux and he didn't know what to do. She cried a bit as well, but was better at it all._

 _She pointed out their opportunity, to examine the snake, test removal methods on it._

 _That would have to work. Of course, that wasn't a large sample size, and the snake was not his son. And he had no idea of how to get to the snake, and he could not reveal to Riddle what they were doing, or Riddle would discover all of their work. Create new horcruxes, try to attack Harry through their link. He couldn't risk it. But it was an idea. More than he had before._

"Dad, what's wrong? Harry asked, alone after their class. Severus hadn't even paid attention as all of the students left except for his son.

It had been three days now, and Severus had not spoken to Harry again, or Albus. He still needed to see the memory of that dream. And it had occurred to him that he should examine all memories of Quirrell again as well. It was a- somewhat similar connection. It was something. And Severus had been stalling, delaying an unpleasant conversation.

"Harry, do you have time to come talk? I can- write you a note to give your next teacher."

"Dad, I don't have any more classes today," Harry said, looking at him even more strangely. Severus usually knew his son's schedule.

"Of course. Come along then," he said. He wasn't very good at being reassuring. He wasn't meant for this.

Severus walked the short distance from his classroom to their quarters, trying to come up with some softer, less terrifying thing to say. But he didn't want to lie to Harry's direct question. How could Harry trust him if he did that?

"So, this is about my dream?" Harry asked when the portrait hole was closed. Harry was a perceptive teenage boy.

"Yes," Severus replied.

*****Harry*****

"So, it was real. A man was… killed? What does it mean that I saw it?" Harry asked. He'd gone so far as to as Lavender Brown if she had ever heard of a dream vision that showed the present. She had been intrigued and pestered him until he refused any more details, but she said she had never heard of it, but suggested that maybe it was seeing the future after all. And if that was the case, then maybe they could save that man- even if Harry had no idea where it was.

"Professor Dumbledore will tell me if he receives conformation of a death that fits that description, but I- believe it to be accurate and significant, yes," his father said slowly.

"So, what _do_ you think?" Harry asked again. It wasn't like his father to be secretive, not with Harry. He'd either tell him what Harry wanted to know or outright say that he couldn't right now.

"I think that the snake is a newly created horcrux and that… you are linked to it. I-" he faultered. "Believe that when Riddle attempted to kill you and the spell rebounded on him, he inadvertently and unknowingly… placed a piece of his soul in that cursed scar."

"I'm a horcrux," Harry summarized dimly, swallowing thickly.

He wanted it out. Right _**now**_. He didn't want to be connected to the man who had killed his mother and James, and so many others.

"How do we get it out?" Harry asked. His dad would have something. Or maybe he didn't, because his father was looking tired and miserable. This was really hard on him, because he loved him, Harry knew. Harry needed to think of more than just himself.

"My- current theory is that if something were to- be done to you that would ordinarily kill a person but not irreparably damage your body, especially with the intent to kill the horcrux, intent being of upmost importance in magic… that might be the key to destroying the horcrux instead of you," his father stumbled over words more than Harry had ever heard.

It was… scary sounding. But he could face it.

"Like the killing curse that gave me the scar to begin with," Harry summarized. He had survived it once before when apparently, no one else had. If his father thought he could again…

"It seems most likely to provide a positive result, yes," his father said.

"So… you'll find out from Professor Dumbledore if this definitely happened, if I- if the snake really killed someone, and then we'll try it."

"Try wha-" and then Harry's dad started to look angry, "Harry, that is the most imbecilic thing you must have ever said. We will work on mitigating dangers, more structured Occlumency lessons for you to protect your mind. We will be attempting to find Riddle and his snake, to seek to destroy the horcrux within the snake without killing the thing. We will search for and destroying the other horcruxes. We will be doing everything _except_ what you just dared mention. And I don't want to hear that from you again. Do I need to move you down here and not let you out of my sight?" his father panted.

"I just-" Harry started before thinking of something else. "Is that why I'm a parselmouth. Will I not be able to speak to Godric and Salazar anymore if we get rid of the horcrux?" Harry asked. As much as the idea of a piece of Voldemort, of Riddle, inside of him disturbed him, he had taken so for granted the ability to talk to his snake friends. He hadn't visited them nearly as much as he should have.

"That seems likely, yes," his father said, calmer now that Harry wasn't… mentioning maybe dying. It wasn't that Harry _wanted_ to die or anything. He really didn't. It was just… and it probably wouldn't happen anything, because Harry was sure his father had it all figured out.

"What can I do to help?" Harry asked.

"I would like to collect your memory of that dream, as well as important interactions that you can recall with Quirrell," his father asked. "I would like to examine that connection."

Harry drew his wand and spotted the penseive that his father had waiting. His father had showed him how to use it a while ago now.

"Is it alright if I go see Godric and Salazar?" Harry asked. It wasn't usually something he would ask permission for, but he was really just asking if it was okay to leave the room now. His father would have a lot of memories to look thought.

His father nodded and said, "Harry, you know I- am not- you know I love you very much, don't you, Harry?"

Harry smiled. Things like that were hard for his father, and for Harry too. "I know. I love you too, Dad," Harry said and slipped into the lab.

" _Hey_ ," Harry said.

" _Hello youngling_ ," Salazar greeted.

" _Harry_ ," corrected Godric.

" _Youngling does not mind. Unlike you,_ he _has respect for elders_."

Harry smiled. Maybe he wasn't in so much of a rush to get rid of the thing. He could wait for his dad to figure it out. And until then, he'd make sure to visit Godric, Salazar, and his dad at least a few times a week.

 **A/N: A lot of important pieces coming together here… please let me know what you think. With what has changed from this story, what do you think will happen?**

 **I've also been doing a lot of editing and hoped to have all of Harry's first year edited and chapters replaced by next week.**


	66. Chapter 66 The Mind

Chapter 66- The Mind

*****Severus*****

Harry stood up slowly. It was the second time the boy's Occlumency practice had Harry losing full control of his body and tumbling to the floor. But he had changed the course of Severus's probing and had pushed Severus out eventually. Impressive at his age and for their first real lesson.

"One more time. I can do better," he said, but the boy was panting.

Harry had good control of his magic, and experience with the mental control of metamorphmagus training that was in many ways similar. Still, Severus had seen glimpses of the boy's past that he hadn't thought about in a long time. He had last been trying to see Harry's first use of parseltongue, an incident Harry had mentioned years ago. Severus had seen that and so much more, a larger boy pushing Harry around. And the large boy's parents being even worse. The Dursleys. Flashes of other incidents, the boy as early back as Harry could consciously remember, crying in a cramped closet with no one there to comfort him. It was strange to see the face that looked so much like James Potter when he was now used to Harry looking much more like him. But regardless of the face, that small, scared boy was his, and Severus hadn't been there.

And now the child was trying to learn to defend his own mind from a powerful, evil wizard who wanted to kill Severus's son. The boy was smiling and determined, ready to try again, undaunted by the traumatic visions that Severus had been seeing.

"Harry, I believe we should be done for the day. Overtaxing your mind could make you more vulnerable than no practice at all. You showed remarkable work today," he added. "I am very proud of you." He needed to be better at those things- at saying things that every boy needed to hear, especially scared, scarred ones. Harry beamed back at him.

"Okay. Ron wanted to go flying anyway," Harry said. Flying with his friend, yes. Harry should enjoy such activities despite everything else going on.

"Have you told your friends of this… most recent development?" Severus asked. Harry seemed to be coping troublingly well with the idea of their being a horcrux in his head.

Harry looked if anything, confused. "No. They don't know anything about horcruxes, because you told me not to mention it. Though Ron knew something was going on a while ago. He said he understood that families kept secrets."

He- had Severus asked _that_ of his son, to not share so much with his closest friends? It would have been when the boy was just twelve which seemed… so long ago now. Not sharing knowledge was the only way to be perfectly safe, and trusting the wrong person could be devastating, as they had learned from Peter Pettigrew. But… to be perfectly safe, Severus shouldn't have told even Harry. Or Dora, and Severus had not even considered keeping the knowledge of horcruxes from her, even back then. Without Harry and Dora, he would not have survived the last years, but he had denied his son similar confidants? Harry knew he could talk to Severus or Dora, of course, but the child hadn't, so he had assumed that Harry was receiving comfort from his friends instead.

"I- forgive me, I had forgotten that was the case. It is perhaps the… wisest course of action, but I would understand if you wished to share, only with Miss Granger and Mr. Weasley, Ronald, I would think."

Harry shrugged, "Then I think I will. But maybe not till after we have more of a plan. I wouldn't want to worry them," Harry said, leaving him with a backwards wave.

Wouldn't want to worry _them_ … when Severus felt sure a normal child would only be worried for himself. Though "child" was a less and less appropriate title for Harry each day.

Severus just wanted to do something, anything, to make this pain in his chest go away. To make it not his fault for not knowing. But he could have known.

Severus Snape was through the floo before he could talk himself out of it. He didn't even bother changing into muggle clothes, perhaps just because it would bother Petunia more this way.

One apparition from outside of the Three Broomsticks later, and he stood in an area of trees a short walk from Number 4 Privet Drive. It was largely the same as his last visit. Perhaps slightly more dilapidated without their slave labor.

It was late enough that the worthless lump Petunia married should be home this time too. _Good_.

The colour draining from Petunia's already pale face made Severus feel better effortlessly. She looked worse than his last visit. Bone-thin and hair badly coloured- must have been from a box.

"Vernon!" she shrieked.

"Now, now, no need to call any more attention of the _neighbors_ upon yourself, is there?" Severus asked.

When Vernon waddled into the room, Severus saw that he was comically even more of Petunia's opposite, except in their matching black hearts. Any weight that Petunia had lost, Vernon must have gained twice or thrice that much. And his face was reddening to nearly purple. Good.

"You! I know who you are! Get out of my house with your- your curse!"

"Vernon!" Petunia shrieked at the word and shut the door, even though Severus was inside.

"Lost my job because of you. Had to send Dudley to- to _Stonewall High_ when he belonged at Smeltings."

"I suggest you be more polite to the man who wields such power over you," Severus taunted, but it wasn't satisfying.

"You wouldn't do anything more direct. Don't want to get thrown in that prison you lot have. Petunia told me all about it."

"On the contrary. I have _killed_ better men than you," Severus hissed. "There is nothing protecting you now. I could do whatever I wish with you. Harry could testify against you, get you sent to muggle prison, or even Azkaban if I pushed, as it was a wizard you were abusing."

Petunia gasped her little sobs.

"I wouldn't have asked it of Harry three years ago, but he is doing well now. He has recovered from your treatment," Severus said a more or less truth. "I don't _wish_ to expose him to the papers like that, but he would handle it well. Harry has dangers everywhere around him, but he is _happy_. Healthy. Even though plenty of people would wish to kill him, he feels safe because _I_ take care of him."

"Sir?" a creaky voice asked. Severus spun around to face another tormentor of Harry's childhood. The large boy had grown past his mother's height but… probably weighed no more than the rotund eleven-year-old in Harry's memories. "Can you- tell Harry that I'm sorry?" he whimpered, hands behind his back, appearing to hold his bum. That would be from the memory that Severus had seen of Hagrid giving the brat a tail.

"If this visit is discussed, I will tell him. You seem somewhat better," Severus observed. It was the apology that meant far more than the change of appearance. "Picked a hobby have you? And worked on your marks?" Severus asked, remembering his advice to the cowering child three years ago.

"Er, yes sir," the boy said with almost a smile. "Marks still aren't great. But I'm a decent at football, a reserve on the school team. I'm a goalkeeper."

What would happen to this boy if his parents were killed or imprisoned? Severus had seen a few memories of the boy's aunt, the unpleasant woman with the dog, to know that she was no better than the child's parents.

"Petunia, take your family and leave. Don't tell anyone where you are going. The wizard who killed Lily has returned," Severus said, more gracious than they deserved. "It's well known that Harry lives at Hogwarts, but Riddle could still find where you lived if he wished just to take pleasure in killing you. I believe he is attending to other matters at the moment, but if you care for your son's life more than you cared for Harry's, you will leave."

"Now look here, we can't _leave_ ," the walrus protested, "I'm about to get a promotion, and we can send Dudley back to Smeltings."

"Then after your death, I will see that your son finds a better home than the one he was raised in," Severus declared, headed for the door. Fury expended. _Why was he here?_

"Now look," Vernon Dursley sad again, this time daring to grab Severus's arm.

The muggle brute hit the wall with a satisfying smack.

Useless Petunia was crying harder, but she didn't move towards her husband to check his condition. The boy was frozen as well, eyes wide.

"Your father will be relatively unharmed," Severus addressed the boy, the one he held in lesser disdain. "Go to Arabella Figg's house if you feel you are in danger, and she can contact Hogwarts. You know where she lives?" Severus asked. The squib had been worthless at watching over Harry, but it would be some thin layer of protection.

The boy nodded mutely, and Severus took his leave, less comfortable than when he had arrived. He placed an alarm ward before he left. Even if the abominations did not deserve it, the boy was… perhaps not so different than Draco, though his godson would be insulted by the comparison.

*****Harry*****

Harry walked more slowly than usual back to Gryffindor Tower, nodding to a few students as he passed, especially when it was someone from their little defense group. And it seemed like half the school was now. Some younger, giggling Slytherins were nearly as friendly to him as the first year Gryffindors.

Why _didn't_ he have this crazy desire to tell Ron and Hermione everything? Was it because then he would be leaving out Neville, Draco, and the others? Maybe. Or because he felt special that his father felt he was mature enough to handle such important information? If that _was_ it, it was a stupid reason, because Ron and Hermione were as mature as he was, Hermione probably more mature. He had just… understood that it was something to be private, and he could always talk to his dad or Dora, or Godric, Salazar, and Hedwig. Sometimes Hedwig was the best to talk to, when he didn't really need to hear anything back.

Harry walked up to a rare display of Ron and Hermione playing Wizard's Chess. Hermione rarely agreed, because she really didn't like the way the pieces broke each other, and Harry knew she also didn't like Ron winning, which he had all tines they played but once. And Harry didn't think Ron tried very hard that time, maybe hoping that Hermione would play him more often.

"Lesson with your dad go alright?" Ron asked, still studying the board. He probably assumed it was just a normal defense lesson, because Harry hadn't said anything different. It hadn't felt like lying at the time.

"Yeah, it did," Harry replied. He was making good progress according to his books, probably because his dad had showed him some basic exercises years ago. "Wanna go flying after your game?" Harry asked.

"Yeah!" Ron replied, smiling as he moved his bishop into a position that didn't look good for Hermione. "Check," Ron confirmed.

"Hermione, can we persuade you to go?" Harry offered, even though he knew she would refuse.

"No, I should be working on my Arithmancy essay anyway," she said, and tipped her king over to Ron, signaling her surrender.

"Hermione Granger playing chess before finishing an essay?" Ron gasped. "I really should be flattered. And I'll have you know, I have all of _mine_ finished for the whole week. And you shouldn't give up so early. You had three or four more moves at least," Ron pointed out.

"Yes, but I'd have to give up my queen, and I don't like doing that. She's such a better piece than the king" Hermione shot back. "And my Arithmancy essay isn't due for another _two_ weeks, thank you very much," Hermione said, walking off, but she was smiling and waving good-bye, not actually annoyed. Ron was grinning, watching her go.

"What do I get today, Nimbus 2000 or Firebolt?" Ron asked like he didn't care as they made for the portrait hole.

"You can have the Firebolt," Harry replied. "I need more of a challenge," Harry taunted.

Ron just smiled and broke into a run. Harry would fly his Nimbus 2001, the replacement broom for his first Nimbus 2000, like he almost always did outside of official team practices and games, but Ron never wanted to assume, Harry guessed.

They were good friends, better than Harry could have ever asked for. Harry would tell them everything eventually.

*****Severus*****

Severus stood, watching his fire place, waiting until a particular head appeared. It was all against his better judgment, really. But he had remembered the request, actually when he was talking to the muggle boy.

"You can't possibly miss me already?" came his greeting. "I just moved out of your place."

"I assure you, I would be happy never to see your face again," Severus said. "But I have a student who wishes to see you."

Black brightened. "Harry's welcome any time. And if you insist on coming too, I suppose I owe it to you to let you in," Black said with a smile, an actual smile.

"It is not Harry, but my _godson_ who wishes to meet you. Draco Malfoy," Severus said. He wouldn't let the mutt be unkind to the boy.

"Oh," Black said, his face showing blatant confusion. _Gryffindor_.

"The boy you assaulted by grabbing by the leg and dragging along an underground tunnel for more than a kilometer," Severus clarified.

"I… know. I didn't know who he was at the time, but I should have guessed. Looks as much like his father as… Harry does. Just didn't know Malfoy very well. Why would he want to meet me?"

"Because he's Narcissa's son," Severus told the idiot.

"Yeah. I heard when she married the last Malfoy. Read about it in the paper. Was not long after I left the family."

"As Draco has aged," Severus selected his words carefully, "He has come to the understanding that his father is a Death Eater and his mother is… complicit in those acts, though she never was one herself. I believe Draco finds himself interested in establishing other familial connections."

From the mutt's gaping, he finally understood. "I'd be rubbish at that. I'd probably hate the kid, and why wouldn't he hate me? I already _bit_ him."

"My godson was an unfortunate little brat before eleven-year-old Harry decided that they were godbrothers and were going to be friends. I don't know what possessed him with the idea because he certainly never had a close relationship with his cousin. Maybe it was to impress me, but it worked," Severus said as Black was smiling slightly. The man had to have been getting uncomfortable on his knees using the floo, but he hadn't complained, and Severus had one more bit to play, "And Draco reminds me a bit of Regulus," he said, leaving unsaid that the boy was how Regulus could have been with better friends.

Black clenched his eyes and jaw but nodded, "His parents are so bad that you think _I_ could be a positive role model?"

"They love him," Severus settled on, "But that is not always enough, is it?"

"I would have loved Harry and still messed him up. When should I come?" Black asked, and Severus was glad that his previous comment did not seem to need remark.

"I will owl you. Thank you," he said without realizing who he was thanking. He was annoyed with Black's grin as the head vanished from sight. Only one of those two boys could make him willing to associate with Sirius Black. Truly. It was only shocking that anyone or anything could.

*****Sirius Black*****

 _Don't say anything stupid. Don't be a bad person. Be like James. No, be like Remus. No, be like Harry. The boy had them all beat. Don't do anything stupid. Don't say anything stupid._

"Hey," Sirius said at the teenage blond boy. He was about Harry's size.

"Hello, sir," Malfoy replied. Pureblood manners that Sirius had never taken to. Or any manners.

"Call me Padfoot- er, or Sirius. Padfoot is for the- dog. Sorry I bit you." He had been smooth in his youth, before Azkaban.

"And for the dog star, Sirius," the boy commented.

"Know your astronomy, do you?" Sirius, asked. Stupid, but pleasant.

"I always liked the subject. Since Draco is a constellation."

"Yeah, Narcissa's doing then? She was the only one of us cousins without a star name. Wondered how she felt about that. And then to be the only one to pass it along. Dromeda wanted nothing of it. And the rest of us… Regulus was so young and thank Merlin, Bellatrix never reproduced. You've met Dromeda and Dora then?" Sirius asked. He can't have been doing too badly, because Snape had just stood there silently.

"I know- Dora, but not Andromeda," he said.

"Oh, you've gotta meet Andromeda. The best of us for sure. I mean, nothing against…" so now he'd insulted the boy's mother. "She's already been to my new place. On the beach. Put a little woman's touch on the place that that she never seemed to pass on to Dora- er." And now he'd insulted Snape's… girlfriend too. "You could visit sometime if you wanted."

"Thank you," the boy said politely.

"Yeah, maybe in the summer with Harry and your godfather if they wanna… come. And Remus your old Professor Lupin, is there too. He told me you were a good student."

"Thank you."

Sirius knew that because he had asked Moony for anything he knew about the boy when Remus had coached him for this meeting, like he did for everything now. It would be easier if the boy would talk about himself. Didn't teenage boys all like to brag about themselves? Sirius definitely had. What else could he say? Quidditch. The answer was always quidditch.

"And I hear you play quidditch for your house team. Youngest captain in… well I don't know how long, but I hadn't heard of one younger than fifth year."

There, there was a smile.

And the boy proceeded to complain how terrible it was that there was no quidditch that year, and some of his players complained about still having twice a week practice. And the Triwizard Tournament had better be really interesting to make up for it, and it was such a shame that younger years wouldn't be allowed to compete.

Sirius just nodded a lot and made a few comments when needed. He had loved the game of quidditch himself, but never had James's talent. He'd been the commentator a couple of times. After a certain incident, McGonagall had said he'd only be allowed to commentate the Ravenclaw vs. Hufflepuff game, and that wasn't much fun really, though Dora would slap him if he said that.

When Snape said that Draco needed to return to his dormitory to not miss curfew, Sirius was proud of himself. He'd have to tell Moony about it. And he didn't hate the kid, and the kid didn't seem to hate him.

 **A/N: Let me know if you like it! I believe a Sirius Black saved by Severus Snape would have to do a whole lot of re-evaluating his priorities.**


	67. Chapter 67 Futures

Chapter 67- Futures

*****Severus*****

If Harry hadn't reminded him of the professional quidditch match that Severus had bought Harry tickets to on his birthday, Severus would have forgotten about it.

It was remarkable that the boy still wanted to go with everything going on, and the disaster at the World Cup. But Harry was never daunted by such things. The child's only concern appeared to be whether he should support the Tornados or the Magpies.

"Who do you support, Dad?" Harry asked. When had he become 'Dad' instead of 'Father?' More than a year ago, Severus thought, in slow transition. He liked it.

"I have former students on both teams," Severus answered instead. "But I believe you would more enjoy supporting the Tornados."

"Because they are probably going to win?" Harry questioned. That _was_ why Severus suggested it, the least opportunity for disappointment seemed the wisest choice, all else held equal.

"Yes. And because they have a very skilled seeker," which was why they had been doing so well lately.

"Alexander Smith, right? I've been reading up on the teams. Was he one of your students?" Harry asked.

"For a year, my first year of teaching. He could have been in my NEWTs class the next year, but took a reduced schedule to focus on quidditch. He was the strangest Ravenclaw I ever taught- almost," Severus added, thinking of the… unique and talented fourth year girl. "And it was the last time Ravenclaw was a yearly competitor for the cup. They won three times with him on the team."

"Oh. And what other players do you know?" Harry asked.

"Harry, I know nearly everyone who has attended Hogwarts since before you were born. And a few peers from my time as a student became professionals, some of them still in the league today, though I didn't know any well. You know someone on the Magpies as well," Severus commented.

"I do? I didn't recognize anyone from the book."

"Perhaps it does not name reserve players, but Marcus Flint is on their roster, and has seen play in a few games this season, from what I have heard."

"Oh. Well, if he plays, I'll have to tell Draco about it. I think I'll support the Magpies then," Harry decided.

"Because a young man you competed _against_ is on the team?" Severus questioned.

"Well, Flint was a good competitor. A good captain. And I don't want to be one of those people who decide they like the Tornados just because they are winning."

That was such a Gryffindor sentiment, cheering for the underdog rather than the side most likely to win for no other reason. Or it was somewhat Hufflepuff- anything but Slytherin.

It was a sentimental as Ronald Weasley stopping by his office to loan Severus the Omnioculars that Harry had purchased the boy at the World Cup. Heart-warming drivel, but Severus accepted them anyway.

*****Harry*****

The quidditch match was great. Though even though he was supposed to be supporting the Magpies, Harry found himself doing a lot of watching Alexander Smith. The seeker was much better than the Magpies' but maybe not unbeatable. And both teams had brooms that Harry hadn't gotten a very good look at, but they weren't Nimbuses or Firebolts. He thought they were Comets, but he didn't know much about their broom lines, but they must have been the sponsor or something.

But Harry also kept thinking back to what his father had said about Smith as a student, choosing a lighter class schedule to focus on quidditch. His dad hadn't really spoken positively or negatively about that choice, though he wouldn't care about _that_ student, because that was years ago and not Harry. But would Harry have to do that too? Or if he didn't, would it mean that his heart wasn't into quidditch enough to try to be a professional?

And was it _okay_ to worry about future careers when Tom Riddle was still out there trying to come back to power? It wasn't fair to let his dad, Dora, and Dumbledore be the only ones worried about that. And with this horcrux in his head, there was a decent chance he'd never live to worry about a career after Hogwarts anyway, no matter how great his dad was at solving problems. And Harry still hadn't told any of his friends about that.

Harry was so distracted that he missed the snitch catch, though with his Omnioculars, he watched it twice as about three quarters of the crowd burst into cheers. The Tornados were apparently really popular, though overall the crowd was about the size of a Hogwarts quidditch crowd, tiny compared to the huge, international draw of the Quidditch World Cup, but Harry sort of knew to expect that. If was the middle of the school year and only two league teams were playing. And it seemed that it was small enough to hide from muggles easily wherever they were, because people wore robes and used magic wildly, unlike what they were _supposed_ to do at the World Cup. That explained how so few wizards knew how to pass as muggles. Harry wore open robes with muggle jeans and his Magpies shirt from Dora under them, but he didn't mind when the Tornados won instead.

And afterwards, since the game had only been an hour, they went to The Three Broomsticks for dinner, just him and his dad. It was a great day, and then he got to tell Ron and the others about it.

By the time the foreign students were due to arrive, Harry was almost- _almost_ glad that their own quidditch practice was barely happening anymore- though he felt bad about thinking that. He was having twice as many defense lessons with his dad and sometimes Dora, some of them being Occlumency lessons. He was getting better. He knew when there was a presence in his mind every time, even when they were being secretive or trying to break into his mind while dueling- that was the hardest part. But, he could block out Dora almost instantly, and was getting a lot better at blocking out his dad too. It was even easier just to think of something boring until they left his mind.

And their Defense Group was meeting twice a week, and more students showed up each time, even a few older Slytherins now that Harry recognized, mostly from the quidditch team. His father hadn't protested the use of the Chamber of Secrets, and Harry hadn't mentioned it again. He sort of knew that it was a trick that a kid could get away with more things if he mentioned it when his father was busy enough with more important stuff.

When Occlumency came up in a meeting (though not the reason he was working on it), Harry learned that Draco already knew some, and most of the Slytherins at least knew about it. Harry wondered if his dad and Dora would teach him Legilimency so that he could teach Occlumency too. Neville and Hermione were very interested, and a few others. Maybe Harry wouldn't ask just yet though.

The only downside at first to their location was going past Moaning Myrtle. She was… interesting and seemed especially fond of Harry. But Harry thought she liked the company, and Hermione said that girls weren't avoiding that loo anymore, except when one of their Defense practices was scheduled, because no girl wanted a hundred or more boys (plus all the girls) stomping through while they were using it.

But the foreign students arriving was exciting, even if Harry didn't really care about this tournament as much as everyone else seemed to.

*****Severus*****

There had been no body found for the dead old man who was probably a muggle from Harry's dream. But why would he expect a body to appear before muggle authorities when they were discussing wizards? This mysterious follower probably transfigured it into a rock and sank it in the sea. Or they just let the snake eat him… which almost made Severus feel queasy about feeding Salazar and Godric, when he had been feeding his snake without issue since he was a student at Hogwarts himself.

And now they had no promising leads on Riddle's journey to regain power, and a second former Death Eater was arriving at the castle before the end of the day.

Albus's theory- when Severus finally faced the man again- was that Riddle was in his muggle father's manor house. An old man had gone missing in the area as well. However, a- covert trip to the place at a distance showed nothing, no human or serpentine life, no magical signatures at all. Severus had become more thorough in his searches after the animagus debacle.

Severus returned to Hogwarts after placing alarm wards, just in case, and formulating excuses that he would use with Dora when he described going off to the possible location Tom Riddle alone. 'I didn't want you to get hurt' would get him laughed at and scolded, and might actually hurt her, so he wasn't sure what to say there. But the equally true, 'I couldn't wait any longer, and I'm still angry at Albus Dumbledore, ultimately because my son is in danger, and I'm scared, and he can't fix it,' was the honesty she valued.

There were too many things to consider, and he didn't need any more, this tournament an unneeded distraction and risk.

*****Harry*****

The whole school stood on the steps of Hogwarts so that everyone could see decently well, first years in the front, back towards seventh years and finally teachers, except Professors Dumbledore and McGonagall in front to greet their guests. And Hagrid- interesting. Harry was prepared for the visiting schools to make quite the show, but their arrivals were still impressive.

The Beauxbatons delegation arrived first. Winged horses pulling a giant carriage through the air made him think of muggle Father Christmas, only larger. Still, for the dozen or so students and the very large headmistress (not Uncle Vernon fat, actually Hagrid-sized) who emerged, there must have been a lot of extension charms on the inside. Hagrid at the front made sense now, as he took control of the giant horses.

Wherever Beauxbatons was France must have been quite a bit warmer than Scotland, because the students seemed awfully cold. Some looked back at the carriage like they'd rather not be at Hogwarts at all. It seemed anticlimactic after all that, when Hagrid led the horses away and the Beauxbatons Headmistress and students went inside the castle probably to warm up. Surely, they had cloaks somewhere? Because it would be getting considerably colder soon.

The Durmstrang arrival was much more confusing when they had all been staring at the sky- a ship emerging from the Black Lake. _How?_

Harry watched the students as they walked closer and their tall headmaster began speaking to Dumbledore. All of them wore thick, fur cloaks, like the Beauxbatons students really could have used. His father had warned Harry to stay as far away from this Professor Karkaroff as possible, and Harry wouldn't have any trouble with that. It was the student that Karkaroff seemed to care most about that then interested Harry. He had very recognizable, strong facial features.

"Harry, it's _Krum_!" Ron shouted.

"Yeah, I know."

"Who?" Hermione asked.

" _Victor Krum_ ," Ron hissed. "The great Bulgarian seeker. I only spent an _hour_ telling you about him at the World Cup. Merlin, I knew he was young, but I didn't know he was that young, to still be in school. Would it be weird to ask for his autograph?" he asked.

"Just make sure you have parchment and a quill," Harry muttered as two girls further ahead discussed if he would sign something of theirs in lipstick.

Durmstrang students selected seats at the Slytherin table, Draco sliding in right next to Victor Krum.

"Damn. Hey, do you think I- we could join them? Hermione, do students actually _have_ to sit at their house tables?"

"I- don't know," Hermione admitted as the Beauxbatons students, slower to decide where to sit, drifted to the Ravenclaw table. Harry found himself distracted as he- _occasionally_ \- was, watching Cho Chang- who he knew he shouldn't be watching because he thought she was dating Cedric. But then Harry saw the Beauxbatons girl sitting next to her unwinding her warm muffler, shaking out her long, blond hair. She was _beautiful_.

Harry found himself distracted from the next conversation, looking back at the girl often until she walked over to _their_ table to ask for a dish. Then Harry realized that Ron was even more star struck by the girl than he had been for Victor Krum.

And that made him think of…

A quick look around the hall confirmed that a large portion of the male population followed the girl's walk back to the Ravenclaw table with their eyes. That and the comparison to Victor Krum made Harry realize when he had seen people distracted like that before- in front of the veelas at the World Cup- except that had been a much stronger pull. But there were lots of veelas at the World Cup, and they were _trying_ to be enticing, whereas this girl was just trying to eat her meal.

But if she was a veela, then it felt even stranger that they were a team's _mascot_. Harry used some of his Occlumency techniques, turned back to his friends, and enjoyed the rest of the feast.

Harry tried a few of the foreign dishes that he had never seen before, but he liked the normal Hogwarts foods more. The introduction of the goblet and announcement that students could now put forth their names answered some common questions, so there was nothing to distract them from discussing who the Hogwarts Champion would be.

Already many people were saying that Victor Krum would be Durmstrang's Champion, but Harry didn't really see why, just because he was famous and good at quidditch. _Really_ good at quidditch. Harry wondered if Krum would practice while he was here- maybe Harry could watch and learn something.

*****Severus*****

Severus had checked that map increasingly often after Igor Karkaroff's arrival. He was glad that the thing extended to enough of the grounds that he could see Karkaroff's dot inside the ship.

In addition to everything else, the matter of education of the foreign students had arisen in recent weeks, a matter entirely overlooked in the original proposal. What did they think, that the entire teaching staff of the visiting institutions would come with their small selection of students? Or that their respective heads of schools were capable of providing all of the necessary learning? Not even Albus Dumbledore could sufficiently teach every class that Hogwarts offered, and Severus thought considerably less of Igor Karkaroff. It was initially proposed that the students would have largely self-directed study, but that would be a great disservice to the visiting students.

And so Severus had spent large portions of time that would ordinarily be 'free', giving a written and practical examination to the seven students who wished to study potions that year. Most professors had agreed to slot the students into the sixth or seventh year courses according to the age of the student, but Severus flatly refused. He had high standards for a reason and refused to hinder the learning of the students whom he had taught for years, especially to teach anyone connected to Karkaroff. Severus had offered for them to all join his fifth year classes, but Minerva thought the offer would be insulting, so the testing was his compromise.

He was marking a particularly irritating essay half-written in French when he was called to the Hospital Wing. It was unusual for him to be needed in the infirmary for anything other than a potions inventory restocking, but once he arrived, he wasn't particularly surprised by the reason.

Of course, students had been attempting to cross the age line, and the aging potion was one that his fifth years had brewed the previous spring and a logical choice. It was also a method that Severus had taken personal care to prevent with his own additions to the age line. Miss Fawcett was analyzing her new beard in a mirror, but she also looked like she had been crying. Mr. Summers shook when Severus came near. That boy was not in his NEWT classes, but he had apparently brewed a correct aging potion- or Miss Fawcett had for them both.

Adding to the warding around the goblet had been the first spell creation he had done in some time, and it had been interesting, especially ensuring that an aging potion would not be effective, combining two of his chief interests. But of course students would feel the need to test it.

Severus had informed Poppy of everything she needed to know to treat other students who would likely follow when two other students did arrive.

Fred and George Weasley sported white beards as long as Dumbledore's. He would bet that their potion was better than Miss Fawcett's as well. And Severus felt that he needed to- talk to them. Only because some alteration they had made to the aging potion could have- no, that wasn't why.

"And what compelled you boys to attempt to enter the tournament? Gryffindor bravado?"

"The prize money," Fred Weasley answered. "Could have made some betting on the World Cup, but we decided to do the 'responsible' thing," Fred moaned.

"He would have just paid in leprechaun gold anyway, like he did for the wand," George said.

"So you wanted the honour of risking your lives for money?" Severus clarified. He might need to speak with their parents, but those Gryffindors would just brush it off. Minerva had already said that she expected her students to find it unfair. She wouldn't do anything about this. And yes, he was well aware that he hadn't felt the need to fix anything about Fawcett or Summers other than their beards and a brief scolding about becoming involved with magics they didn't understand. He hadn't cared about their motivations and what it meant for their psyches.

"It's supposed to be safe," Fred said. "Dumbledore would make sure. We wouldn't really try to get ourselves killed."

"We need it to start our business," George said, Fred and Severus both stared at him.

"Your business with the fake wands," Severus said neutrally. Assessing, not judging, a tone he hoped he had cultured in recent years.

"That's only the beginning, just transfiguration and charms there, no supplies needed, but a lot of our ideas rely on potions, and you know that doesn't come cheaply. We're making a day dreaming potion- inspired by being the opposite of dreamless sleep, because you're still awake but you dream. And we've _had_ positive results. But we need more development, to make the subject still able to focus on other tasks, and to make sure the dreams are always good- no day-mares. And we've finished our ton-tongue toffee- it grows your tongue to an enormous size, but we have ideas for a whole line of joke sweets. And we can do it. We're good at it, and we can sell them too. We just need enough to get started, and that thousand galleons would be a big start- enough inventory, even a few months' rent when we're ready. Zonko's hasn't had an innovative idea in our lifetimes," George Weasley spouted. They would make items that would be targeted at school children and when created successfully would double Filch's list of banned items.

And George Weasley told it all with more passion than Severus had ever heard a student speak about potions.

That alone would be enough for him to feel the need to say something.

"You'll have to do everything the right way, registering completed works with the Committee for Experimental Charms and the Committee for Experimental Potions so that you can have patents. They are semi-autonomous from the Department of Magical Law Enforcement," Severus explained.

"That- sounds expensive," Fred Weasley said slowly.

"Not very. And it will give your intellectual property protection when you seek investors. You can seek loans, though I warn against that sort of dealing with goblins- they never really trust wizards holding their money, and you can get lower rates from muggle establishments, though you will need to confirm that you have identities in the muggle world and yet avoid paying muggle taxes. Direct investment in your company can be explored, but you should agree on a maximum percentage of the company that you are willing to be owned by an outside entity," Severus instructed. "And until your graduation, make a list of anything _legal_ that you need that is not in the student stores and I can provide some aid in procurement. Some supplies can be obtained in the wild yourself to ensure freshness if you know where to look. Certain things you could persuade the assistance of Hagrid or Professor Sprout. I believe one of you is in those classes?" Severus asked. It had been an arrangement that surprised most of the staff, the Weasley twins not taking the same classes.

"We thought it would be stealing to use the student stores for anything outside of class. And I have Creatures and Transfiguration, George has Herbology and Charms. But we make sure that we know the other well enough. And we both have Potions and Defense," Fred said slowly.

"Was rough explaining to Mum that even though we got six OWLs, we only wanted to take four classes each. We didn't want to say that it was to have more time to work on our products, because that wouldn't help," George explained.

"Do well in your classes, continue your projects, and tell me if you have supplies issues, and if you are doing anything too dangerous. You will have your funding after you graduate," Severus promised.

Those were bolder words than he should have used. He'd have to have something set up soon in the case of his demise before their graduation. He had connections in the potions world, plenty of them. He also had enough funds set aside that he could invest or assist personally if needed. Though he _had_ been considering purchasing a new house, which would take considerable funds. It was tiresome planning both for his possible death and for his possible future. A future with Harry until and after the boy graduates, possibly makes him a grandfather- a terrifying thought he had not had before. And Severus's life with… Dora that he had not given full consideration…

"Really?" Fred asked.

Severus put on an annoyed look because it was the only defense he had. "I am not in the practice of saying what I do not mean." And after the boys were de-bearded, he would ask to see their day-dream potion research that sounded rather interesting. "And I suggest you discuss with each other and then with Mr. Jordan what role if any the three of you envision him having in your enterprise. A partnership is not healthy unless there is input commensurate with rewards. Additionally, few things ruin a friendship more thoroughly than an incongruity of expectations that is never communicated," Severus advised.

"Thank you," Fred Weasley said.

Severus left happier than when he arrived. Those boys would see success, and Severus would enjoy watching.

 **A/N: The next chapter will be important- what do you think will happen? I hope you will all like what I have done.**


	68. Chapter 68 The Goblet of Fire

Chapter 68- The Goblet of Fire

*****Harry*****

Halloween was the night that Harry was always glad that other things were going on, so he didn't have to think too much. He wasn't even planning on sleeping in the dungeon that night, hoping to celebrate a Gryffindor Hogwarts champion with the rest of his house. Though he'd support whoever was chosen when the events came around.

The food was as good as always, if a little dampened because they'd just had a huge feast to welcome their guests the day before. But Harry noticed that his favourite dishes were all around him, like they often were, especially on Halloween. Milly's contribution, Harry was sure, but not really noticeable to the others around them. Harry appreciated it.

Everyone, even the staff, visiting heads of schools, and Ministry officials were watching Dumbledore, waiting for him to be done and make the announcement. Finally, Professor Dumbledore explained that the goblet was almost ready and explained where the selected champions were supposed to go when their names were called where they would receive their first instructions. Would they find out what all the tasks were tonight, or only the first task? Would it have to be a secret? Harry was pretty sure that even if it was _supposed_ to be a secret, whatever the chapmions were told would spread to that student's house and across the school within the day anyway- except maybe not if it were a Slytherin champion. It sounded weird to call them "champions" before they really did anything besides impress a cup, but that's what everyone was calling them.

With a wave, Dumbledore put out all of the lights except those in the giant pumpkins and the blue-white flames of the goblet itself. He was really good at theatrics. Students were impatient until the flames turned normal red and orange again, roared up with one flame three times its former size, and a piece of paper spat out, and the flame returned to its prior, eerie blue-white.

"The champion for Durmstrang Institute will be Victor Krum!" Dumbledore announced.

Applause came from the entire hall. Harry was almost disappointed, because he knew Krum would be busy training for the tasks and there would probably be less chance of watching him practice quidditch – and maybe, maybe even practicing _with_ him had occurred to Harry.

The process with the flame repeated and Dumbledore held another scrap of paper when the hall was finally silent again. "The champion for Beauxbatons Academy will be Fleur Delacour!" Dumbledore announced with equal enthusiasm, but the reaction from the hall was not as loud.

Harry watched as the beautiful girl who Harry suspected was a veela- or part veela or something, since he didn't think veela were witches normally- rose gracefully to her feet and walked towards the back of the hall.

"Look at the Ravenclaw table," Hermione muttered, and Harry tore his eyes away from the girl. None of the Beauxbatons students looked happy for their champion, or were even pretending. Two girls were visibly crying. The Durmstrang students had seemed to expect their champion, or at least pretended to be supportive. He hoped the Hogwarts students wouldn't act the same if people didn't like the choice. Though, to be fair, Hogwarts students didn't have to uproot themselves for a whole year to have the chance to compete.

The hall quieted quickly, watching the painfully bright flame, until it finally went red for the final time, depositing another scrap into Dumbledore's outstretched hand.

"The Hogwarts champion is Cedric Diggory!" Dumbledore said, and the Hufflepuff table went wild, and there was enough applause from the rest of the students. Harry liked Cedric alright- and really _wasn't_ jealous that the older boy seemed to be dating Cho Chang. But Cedric was a nice guy.

The applause from the Hufflepuffs went so long that Dumbledore had barely started talking again when- the flames went red again and spat out a fourth piece of paper. That seemed… strange.

And this time, Dumbledore just said, "Harry Potter."

He knew everyone was staring at him. He hated that.

"But I didn't-" Harry said, looking up at the Head Table.

Harry's father was already standing and walking quickly to the side of the table. Harry might as well follow him. It felt like the only thing to do. Professor McGonagall was standing up too, but she was walking towards Dumbledore.

Harry met his father at the room at the back of the hall, entering at the same time.

"We'll be okay," his father said. "We'll sort this out," he said, and he looked angry, but Harry knew it wasn't at him. When every crazy thing happened to him, Harry felt better when his dad told him that.

*****Severus*****

"Professor," Spoke the Diggory boy said to him. "What- I mean, you have instructions for us, sir?" he said, but he kept glancing at Harry. The boy wasn't very good with potions, but he wasn't an idiot.

"I am correcting a sabotage. Would you take your fellow champions back to the Great Hall for the time being," Severus said in a tone that was not a question. He didn't like even having portraits on the wall, and would not have this conversation in front of three extra teenagers.

"What sabotage?" the French girl questioned.

And then Ludo Bagman burst into the room and would have actually grabbed Harry had Severus not steered him away. What was that man's issue with personal space?

"Extraordinary!" Bagman exclaimed, undaunted. "May I introduce- incredible through it may seem- the _fourth_ Triwizard Champion?!"* Severus had always hated Ludovic Bagman.

"Oh, vairy funny joke, Meester Bagman,"* the irritating French girl said, but Severus could tell that she was not amused.

"Oh, it's not a joke at all. Harry's name just came out of the Goblet of Fire. Didn't it, Severus?" the man dared ask for his corroboration.

"But 'e is too young. Just because 'es père works at 'Ogwarts," Severus decided that he didn't care for the girl. Though he could somewhat understand her position. What was this damned empathy he had lately?

"It is not a joke or a mistake. It is an intentional tampering to put my son at risk, and I will prove it," Severus gritted. "And then my son will be removed from this unnecessary, reckless competition."

The Durmstrang boy, this famous quidditch player, was silent, perhaps assessing.

"Now, Severus, didn't you do anything crazy in your younger days?" Bagman asked. "The age restriction was only added this year for safety concerns. But really, after his name's already out of the goblet, I really don't think there's anything we can do. But I'm sure Harry will be-"

Bagman's nonsense was blessedly cut short by the arrival of the others, McGonagall followed by the three heads of school and Barty Crouch. The French girl ran over to her headmistress and complained, but Severus was more interested in Dumbledore and Crouch, the people who could get his son out of this mess. Severus ignored the squawking of Karkaroff and Maxime fretting that Hogwarts had a second champion, an additional change to win, an extra advantage- as if there was nothing _obviously_ wrong about this. It was called the _Tri_ wizard Tournament. How would a child manage to make a fourth name magically be chosen? It would be one thing if Harry's name to come out _instead_ of Diggory's- which Harry would naturally deserve but that was beside the point. Because his son would never-.

"Harry, did you put your name in the Goblet of Fire?"* Dumbledore asked calmly.

"Of course he didn't, Albus," Severus defended quickly. No one could possibly believe that.

'Severus, I need to hear it from Harry."

"No sir. I didn't. I wouldn't do that," Harry answered, but he was looking at Severus for direction. Because Harry trusted him to handle it.

"Ah, but of course 'e is lying!" cried the oversized woman. What Hagrid so evidently saw in her other than their similar heritage was beyond him. She was grating and beyond irritating.

"Harry, I'm going to direct you through a wizard oath, but you must never perform such an oath without my guidance, understand?" Severus explained. "It's more effective even than veritaserum." It was brash, but he had to get his son out of this _himself_ , it seemed.

"My good man, it's hardly necessary to go to that extreme. I'm sure the boy just wanted to have a bit of fun with the older lot," Ludo Bagman said.

"It is laughable that anyone could believe that a fourteen-year-old could confound an ancient artifact into thinking there was a fourth school in the _Tri_ wizard Tournament, but it appears that we must prove otherwise to remove him from this ridiculousness."

"Severus, once his name is entered, it's a binding contract," came Crouch, the irritating Ministry mouthpiece.

"One that he did _not_ enter into. Harry, you'll raise your wand in your right hand and say 'I Harry Potter swear on my magic that I have no knowledge of entering myself into the Triwizard Tournament or of asking anyone else to enter for me. So mote it be.' It is very important to mention the piece about having no _knowledge_ of it, in case you were enchanted to do so, which would make you equally innocent. And only say it if you are one hundred percent sure that you can say it with honesty, or there could be very serious consequences." He'd get the boy out somehow, even if the boy did something so stupid, but he couldn't possibly have.

"I, Harry Potter, swear on my magic that I have no knowledge of entering myself in the Triwizard Tournament or asking anyone to enter it for me. So mote it be," Harry repeated. Blue light surrounded his son, but there were as expected, no ill results. It was still more of a risk than Severus had wished.

"Now cast a spell. Anything- Lumos," Severus prompted him.

"Lumos," the boy said, easily lighting his wand.

"There, incontrovertible proof in front of numerous witness including Ministry personnel and Headmaster and Headmistress of the schools involved. I would like to formally petition for my son's removal from this mockery."

"Professor Snape, that is simply not possible. There is no way to escape the binding agreement," Barty Crouch spoke. Oh, how Severus hated that man.

"And if he refuses?" Severus challenged, childishly glad that he was a taller, more physically imposing figure than the old, worthless Ministry official, who was lucky to still have his job.

The old man didn't back down. "Then he will feel compelled to participate to the best of his abilities, which would be much more dangerous than _allowing_ the boy to compete. You risk his life by resisting, Severus Snape."

More danger for his son. Severus had been occupied for months, years even with the thoughts of dangers to his son's life: a Riddle returned to physical form intent on killing his son, a horcrux at risk of controlling Harry. But that hadn't been enough. Inside of Hogwarts, someone had tampered with a very powerful magical artifact to seek to harm his son. And he wouldn't let him get away with it- or her, it wouldn't be wise to rule out possible subjects. The obvious suspicions pointed to Karkaroff, even though the man hadn't been lying during Severus's first questioning…

Severus had to make new plans. Harry would be better prepared than those idiot students who were of age and entered themselves for their own foolish motivations. Severus would make sure of it.

*****Harry*****

Harry had wanted to go back to the Gryffindor common room, even though he knew his dad wished Harry would go back to their rooms with him. Harry had to face everyone, get his story in.

When the other heads of schools finally stopped complaining, Mr. Crouch basically said that the first task was seeing how they dealt with the unknown, so they wouldn't find out anything about the task except that it was on the twenty-fourth of November, and they'd have to be doing something 'daring' in front of some judges and the whole school and visiting students.

And then he was back in the Gryffindor common room, where his housemates were harder to convince than Madame Maxime that Harry hadn't done anything.

" _I didn't do it,"_ Harry said for the sixth or seventh time since entering the Gryffindor common room. This time he added, "I even took a wizard's oath promising that I didn't enter myself or get anyone else to do it for me. I'll do it again if you want," Harry said, though his father wouldn't like it. _That_ made the room pretty quiet.

"Your dad could've done it," Lee Jordan suggested.

"Are you kidding? Professor Snape will probably _kill_ whoever did it," Fred objected. So at least Fred, and by extension George as well were on his side.

"You'll be brilliant though," George declared, "You're probably the best in the school at defense, and we all know it. You'll be better than Diggory for sure."

"Er- thanks."

"Yeah, and everyone in the whole school likes you, so you'll have all the support," Dennis Creevey spoke up.

"I- thanks but I'm just in this by mistake," Harry said, because 'mistake' sounded better than saying that he was probably entered into it because someone hoped he would fail and die like multiple champions had before… "Really, you can support Cedric- or both of us. I like Cedric too," Harry rambled, until someone pushed a butterbeer in his hand and asked how he _could_ have done it. Again.

Harry finally wormed himself from the crowd to sneak up to his own room. There was one person he wanted to see that hadn't been in the common room crowd.

Ron stood up from his bed when Harry entered. "Does your dad- know that you didn't put your name in? You didn't, did you? Just tell me and I'll believe you, but I've gotta hear it from you, Harry," Ron said.

"I didn't do it."

"I know. I mean- I almost didn't know. I wanted to be upset that you put your name in and left me out, but then I knew you wouldn't do that. I don't guess you'd _want_ your name in at all really?"

"I'm terrified," Harry admitted. "And everyone in the common room is _excited_. I don't know if they believed me even when I said I took a wizard's oath saying I didn't do it."

Ron nodded, "Yeah, Hermione pointed out that even if you figured out how to get your name in, your name would have come out instead of Diggory's, not as a fourth person. She's been trying to tell other people that, but they don't listen."

"Thanks for believing me."

"Always. And don't forget to tell Hermione thanks."

*****Harry*****

Harry stared at the parchment in front of him. He'd slipped away to his other room to have a little privacy that Sunday morning when everyone in Gryffindor was probably still asleep. It was something that he had been thinking about when everything was happening at once, the horcrux inside him, and him being entered in this dangerous tournament that people had died in before.

 _"Dear Dad and Dora,_

 _Dad, it wasn't your fault, and you couldn't have done anything differently. I- have a feeling that if I'm dead, you'd be blaming yourself. Dora, please take care of him. Or- if he's gone too, take care of yourself. I hope this is dumb and I rip it up later (like the three attempts before this). I hope you don't find this if I'm not dead and just worry about me. I love you both. A lot. I wouldn't have had a happy life without you, and I'd choose three or four years with you over two hundred years without you any day. I'm not good with words, but I love you._

 _Love,_

 _Harry_

That was good enough. He'd said 'love' a lot, which was a pretty new thing for him, but it was good. He could probably rip it up later and try again. And surely the next one wouldn't be as hard.

 _To my friends,_

 _Ron, I'd like you to have my Nimbus 2001. It's my favourite broom because my Dad gave it to me, and I didn't think I could like another broom after my Nimbus 2000 broke. You were my first friend my own age in the whole world and helped teach me what it meant to have a family. Thank you to all of the Weasleys for accepting me like a second family. Ginny, take my Nimbus 2000. It was a gift from Professor McGonagall, so I feel like it should go to someone on the quidditch team. Help Colin as much as you can. Hermione, there's some old books in the Potter vault that maybe you'd like. I still sometimes feel like I don't know what I'm doing in the magical world, but you do everything so well._

 _Sirius, I'm sorry I said the Nimbus 2001 was my favourite broom. I wish I'd gotten a chance to know you sooner, really gotten to be your godson. It would have been more fun growing up with you around. And Remus. I don't know what I could do with the Firebolt, but I think you'd like it to stay with the quidditch team, so maybe going to the seeker each year (good luck Colin and Ginny)._

 _The money in the Potter vault, whoever needs some that I mentioned before, I want to have it. And my dad and Dora. And money for the twins to start their joke stuff like those wands, that I think is what they whisper about a lot, and spend a lot of time brewing. And whatever the Weasleys will take. And when that's done, I'd like to start a charity for kids without parents, especially kids with magic, but muggle kids too, because we're not really different. Hermione, maybe you'd want to help with that? I wouldn't trust anyone more. You can use some to help elves too. And maybe Neville, or some of our other friends would be interested in doing that too._

 _Milly, I wanted to thank you for being around, and caring, and ask you to keep looking after my dad._

 _Neville, I want you to have my invisibility cloak. You might not even know that I have one, because I don't use it much, but something felt right about giving it to you. And I don't mean to say that you're invisible, because you're not._

 _Draco, I don't really have anything you'd need, physical stuff wise, but I really valued your friendship. You aren't the same kid that I met in Madame Malkin's. But if- anything does happen to change that, and you need something or money, it's yours. And look after my dad for me? He really loves you too, you know. I was jealous at first, because you knew him better than I did. Even if we haven't always hung out much or had the same friends, you're my godbrother. I'd like you to look after Godric. If my dad's okay, then I'd like Godric to stay with him and Salazar, but could you visit them? But if something bad happens, please look after them both._

 _Hagrid, can you take care of Hedwig? You and Hedwig were my first friends, and you both have meant a lot to me._

 _I don't know what else to say. Every time I tried to write this, it turned into a will, so I stopped trying to make it something else. I do love you all though, my friends new and old, Gryffindor, and not._

 _Love,_

 _Harry_

Harry hid the letters under his bed, because he couldn't think of a better place. He didn't really feel sad writing them, but happy. Because he had so many people around him that cared about him, he had trouble mentioning them all. Maybe he should have written to several more people, like all of the Gryffindor quidditch team and most of his professors. Professor McGonagall had been good to him, and Dumbledore had too. And he probably wouldn't need the letters, but- maybe it would be interesting later. Probably, he would laugh about it, maybe with Ron eventually- like ten years after Voldemort was really, really dead.

And while he was down here, he'd go see Godric and Salazar and his dad.

 **A/N: I hope you liked it. By the end, I was very happy with this chapter. Harry writing those was inspired by a mini-prompt I saw that was to have your character write a good-bye letter, and that struck me as something that he would do.**


	69. Chapter 69 Preparation and Delegation

Chapter 69- Preparation and Delegation

*****Severus*****

"The first task," Severus said, "Has been discussed with Charlie Weasley, so it must involve dragons. No one could _possibly_ expect a single student to fight a dragon, so I believe it must deal with avoidance. This will be our primary focus, and I will teach you several spells. But, so you know, the second task involves the lake, I believe deep in the lake, as merfolk have been in talks with Albus, and they rarely come to the surface. We will work on you breathing underwater with the aid of gillyweed, as well as practicing the bubble-headed charm for emergencies. Silent casting will be important, as you will be unable to speak, and a review of creatures inside the lake, many of which you learned from Remus last year. The third task I know little about except that it will occupy the space of the quidditch pitch, one of the reasons there could be no quidditch this year," Severus outlined what they knew and how it would impact what Harry was to learn. They just needed plans and practice, and then they would be okay- for another moment, and that was as far as Severus could think.

"I guess it's not really cheating if I wasn't supposed to be in it anyway," Harry said, looking at his feet. Gryffindor nobility.

"I imagine that the other champions are receiving similar help. My concern is not for you to _win_ this juvenile show of bravado, but to stay alive. Are you alright, Harry? I understand it is quite frightening to know that someone has entered you into this competition to harm you, in addition to everything else we are dealing with," Severus said. _Well done_ , reminding the boy of how terrifying his life is.

"Yeah. I'm fine. I know it's just a pointless competition and I really _wasn't_ going to enter but- do you think I have any chance of winning? Not that it matters, but if someone wants me to fail, winning would be good, like beating them, wouldn't it? And, I mean, I'll learn spells that will be useful other times, right?" Harry asked, almost eagerly.

Of course, a teenage boy would want to know that his father believed in him.

"Harry, I believe you have more potential than anyone in this school, and I make no exception for our Headmaster. You find opportunity to shock me at every turn. Most recently, the way you have taken to Occlumency, a very difficult, precise ability with remarkable acuity. I have no doubt that you have the ability to best any of your three competitors at this very moment," Severus went on, Harry beaming up at him. "However, I do not wish that to be your focus, to distract you from all else. You must be wary of further sabotage, any way that the tasks could be made worse for you than for the other competitors."

"Okay. What do we work on first?" Harry asked. Always ready to attack a problem.

"The conjunctivitis curse," Severus explained. "Blinding and confusing the dragon. And then Impedimenta to slow a large attacker. It is usually less effective than a stunning charm on another wizard, but it can be useful for larger beasts that are not as susceptible to being stunned," Severus said.

Having a strategy would make him less alarmed that some bureaucratic idiots intended to put his fourteen-year-old son facing a dragon in less than a month.

"Sounds great. And Dad, could you show me how to do Legilimency too?" Harry asked. "Not to do anything bad. It just seems useful, and I think it would make me better at Occlumency. And Hermione and Ron sort of want to learn Occlumency too. I thought that might be good for them to know some before I tell them some big secrets, you know?" Harry asked. The boy made logical point- Severus had always practiced Occlumency and Legilimency as intertwined himself. Though he wondered if Harry intended to teach others than only Miss Granger and young Mr. Weasley. Still, it would be good for Harry to have some exposure.

"It can be a useful skill to master, so long as it is not abused," Severus agreed cautiously. Not that he thought Harry would ever misuse it.

*****Harry*****

"Hagrid," Harry said as their Care of Magical Creatures class was ending. "I was talking to Charlie Weasley- at the Quidditch World Cup this summer- and it got me thinking about dragons," Harry said, and he saw the large man's eyes go wide. Hagrid must have known what was coming in the first task, being groundskeeper _and_ Care of Magical Creatures professor. It was his job, but Harry had been curious to know for sure. "I know we couldn't have a dragon for class or anything, but I was wondering if you could recommend any books about them. How men control them and all?"

"Dragons. D-anger's line o' work Harry. Talked to your father about this?" he asked, and Harry knew what he was trying to get at.

"I might have mentioned it," Harry said with a shrug. "I'm just curious from what I heard from Charlie, of course," Harry said.

"I'll- I'll see what I can do, Harry," Hagrid managed as Harry smiled.

"Can I read them when you're done, Harry?" Ernie MacMillan asked. Harry smiled wider. He wondered how many Hufflepuffs knew what the first task was. Harry had only told Hermione, Ron, and Neville, mostly because he saw those three alone pretty often, but he did say not to spread the news around too much.

Defense practice (which Harry occasionally acknowledged that everyone else was now calling the "DA") was when Harry felt best- well, that and when he was flying, but he hadn't being flying nearly as much. Their defense group wasn't confusing or complicated, or full of anyone out to get him. It was just students of all the houses teaching each other and getting better at defending themselves- or whatever they wanted to learn. Moody had commented recently that all of his classes were much improved, and not nearly as far behind as he had been led to believe. As far as Harry knew, the other teachers didn't really know what was going on. Dumbledore probably did, because he seemed to know almost everything. It felt like most of the castle was coming down to the Chamber of Secrets twice a week, so many that it was getting crowded.

Cedric had been there each time since Harry's name had come out of that goblet. And Harry told the Hufflepuff about the dragon the very next time he saw him. From what Harry could tell, Madame Maxine was training Fleur, Professor Karkaroff was training Krum, and Cedric seemed to be at the disadvantage, because Harry was pretty sure that Professor Sprout wasn't going to help Cedric cheat, and Professor Dumbledore definitely wasn't. So this was the least Harry could do.

And Cedric being so friendly with Harry, especially after that, probably helped the Hufflepuffs not be mad at Harry for taking their champion's attention- though everyone seemed to have heard of his wizard's oath by now anyway, so they knew Harry didn't do it himself. But other than some nasty looks from a few foreign students, Harry hadn't had any negative receptions.

And every once in a while, Harry let himself think how great it would be to actually win the whole tournament. It wouldn't be completely unheard of- a fourth year Hogwarts student had won about four hundred years ago, Hermione had told Harry one day. There apparently weren't seventh years back then, but still…

Harry tried to go about days like "normal", though knowing he didn't have to take exams at the end of next term… did make school work seem a little less important. And there were horcruxes and everything... None had been destroyed since the locket that summer, and they found out about two new ones since then, one of them inside Harry…

But his dad would say that Harry's only job right now was to learn, so Harry was working hard on his antidote in potions class when Colin Creevey came into their classroom.

"Mister Creevey?" Harry's dad said, "You believe yourself so advanced that you can join the fourth years?" he asked.

"No sir!" Colin laughed. "Harry is supposed to go upstairs with the other champions. Mr. Bagman and a photographer are here," said the boy who still liked pictures, even if he no longer carried his camera around everywhere.

"Yes fine. I was told it would not interfere with our schedule. Harry, I will see you shortly," his father promised, and Harry, curious, followed Colin out the door. He left his things, but he could always come grab them later.

*****Severus*****

"Don't make mistakes," Severus instructed. They weren't doing anything particularly dangerous. If their potions failed, they could potentially become poisonous to drink, but not unstable or deadly to inhale.

No, _he_ was the unstable one for considering what he was about to do, as he strode into the other classroom.

Both boys half-jumped as the door opened, but their arms kept stirring over three caldrons. Good.

"Can your potions be put under stasis at this stage?" Severus asked.

"Yes," Fred Weasley replied.

"Then I would ask you to watch my fourth year Gryffindors and Slytherins for the next hour, responsible for ensuring no disasters, through mistake or design. Do you accept?"

"Yes?" George replied hesitantly, looking at his brother.

"Good," Severus said, sweeping out of the room. He doubted that anyone, even Molly and Arthur Weasley had put those boys in any position of responsibility or authority.

Each year, almost every fifth year is discussed for being a prefect in a terribly long meeting that Severus hated especially as he usually selected his prefects when they were third years and seldom changed a decision. But even in a _three_ _hour_ meeting the summer before last, the Weasley twins weren't mentioned except that the prefects should be someone the Weasley twins could respect.

Still, Severus had other things to worry about, as he climbed the stairs.

Ludo Bagman caught Severus's attention first, as the man always had an interest in Severus's son. He was explaining to Harry about the wand weighing- harmless for the moment. The photographer would be the next threat, but the man was occupied leering at Miss Delacour- when the girl was still a _student_. The witch didn't seem to notice, but she was flirting with Diggory.

And then Severus heard a vaguely familiar voice.

"I just want to have a little chat with Harry before we start. The youngest champion and all, and from our own Hogwarts," came her drivel.

"Certainly!" Bagman was agreeing.

"I think not," Severus said, and he was sure Harry didn't mind from the boy's grin at him. Good. He did care what Harry thought of course. He didn't want to be one of those controlling parents. It was just that most didn't have to go through what Harry did. "We are here to inspect the conditions of the contestants' wands, are we not?"

"Well," said Bagman. "It can't really hurt. Our expert is still meeting with Dumbledore. They aren't expecting us for a few minutes, I believe."

The _why_ did they interrupt his class before either of them were needed?

"Then I am sure one of the _other_ contestants have reached their majority and entered this contest willingly might be willing to speak, though I would caution them against it, as you have always enjoyed twisting the truth. You are not the only former Slytherin in the room, Ms. Skeeter." There were actually three. 'Former' was an interesting word choice, because most would say that they are a part of their house until death or after. But should a stupid hat really have so much power? Were any of them really so different?

Severus found it strange that the woman wouldn't wish to speak with Krum, an already established celebrity, or Miss Delacour, who was clearly part-veela, as the photographer appreciated.

"I think it's time to go upstairs, everyone!" Bagman announced. Avoiding confrontation. Severus had been as polite as he could manage to be to the woman.

And then Severus was trapped with more people his disliked, the other two heads of schools. Perhaps it wasn't fair to group Maxime with Karkaroff, but Severus didn't like the woman.

Mr. Ollivander, the strange old man looked over the wands. Severus had always been rather envious of his mastery over wand lore, and yet the field was not precise enough for Severus's taste.

The girl went first. Her wand was "inflexible," and Severus thought that fit. But the pride she held when saying the veela hair core was her grandmother's was- somewhat admirable. He doubted the French people were more open minded than in this country with the idea of "half-breeds" as they called them. She did not seem well-liked by her peers. He could not, perhaps, dislike the girl.

Diggory's wand core was from a male unicorn. It was interesting what the old wandmaker remembered. And naturally, he preferred to procure his ingredients himself. Then Krum's, rigid, and Ollivander correctly identified the core- dragon heartstring- again without it being his own creation. Remarkable. When examining Harry's wand, the man said little. _Good_. Severus did not need it mentioned who once held- and perhaps did again- its brother wand, especially when Ms. Skeeter and Igor Karkaroff were in the room. And Bagman couldn't keep his mouth shut either.

Afterwards, there were pictures, which Severus almost wanted to object to, but Harry didn't mind at all, easily agreeing to pictures with the other champions, by himself, and with Dumbledore. Severus was only glad that that the photographer didn't approach _him_ \- his features and prominent scowl not being photogenic. Though perhaps he would have enjoyed refusing.

*****Severus*****

"Hey," Dora said in greeting. Severus hadn't noticed when she had come in which was- unusual. However, Nymphadora Tonks demanded to be acknowledged, as she sat in his lap, dislodging the large tomb he had been pouring over in Old English with Middle English notes that he relied on heavily. But it was from some crazy scribe in the 1300s who was fascinated with Herpo the Foul- the segments of Ancient Greek being the worst of all, and translation spells serving him poorly.

"You need a break," Dora said. "You don't want to make _Rita Skeeter_ right. I believe this time she called you "over-protective, controlling, and unpleasant." I don't agree, of course, and it's amazing she couldn't come up with worse; it appears that no one would talk to her. But still, all work and no play makes Severus a dull boy," she teased.

"I'm not a _boy_ ," Severus groused, but fought a smile.

"No, but you are my boyfriend," she said, giving him a little kiss. Not nearly enough of a kiss.

He was won over by Dora easily.

"Is there no more dignified term than ' _boyfriend_ '?" Severus asked minutes later.

"Nope. Nothing that doesn't sound worse. Gentleman friend? Beau? Paramour? _Lover?_ Though I could be convinced by that last one," she said, kissing him again.

Lover. Love. He had never told Dora that he loved her. With all of their uncertain futures, if one of them were to- never say it, he would regret. Because he did, didn't he? But fear was not the proper motivator for such an expression, was it?

"You- mean very much to me," Severus said. That was worse, triter than outright saying it. "I have pictured- many futures for myself, long and short, and you are in all of them. I'm not- good at this," he admitted.

"I disagree," she said, kissing him again. "Though you had better spend more time focusing on happy futures. This doesn't count as a break from work if you are still morose. And when did you last eat? You need to have the elves bring you something. I mean Milly, of course, because you still have the other elves blocked, don't you?"

"All the more important now with Dobby in the-" Severus cut off. Could that work? "Could you get- just a moment," Severus moved to stand.

Dora sighed, "Twenty minutes of whatever you have planned at _most_ and then back to your break."

"It won't take that long," Severus said, wand already dismantling some of his wards. "Dobby!" he called.

"You- called for Dobby, sir?" the little house elf. "Dobby is not coming here, Dobby is promising. Except Potions Master calls for Dobby?" the elf asked. The creature had evidently enjoyed dressing himself. An eclectic collection of when had to be children's clothing with miss-matched socks and a large hat.

"You remember this, Dobby?" he asked, now brandishing the destroyed diary horcrux.

"Oh yes, bad book, bad. Dobby is not meaning to hurt, only protect Harry Potter, sir!" the elf squeaked.

"Dobby, I am referring to the fact that you found the book and knew that it was evil," he said. "Does it still feel evil now?" he asked.

The elf's ears perked back up, threatening to dislodge the large hat. "No, sir! No more magic in book."

"Good. Now, Dobby, there are other things with this bad magic. Not books, but maybe a cup with the Hufflepuff crest on it, or a- something like a crown. I believe one of these is somewhere at Hogwarts. Can you look for it for me?" Severus asked.

The elf nodded so vigorously that the hat must have been held on by magic.

"Dobby will finds it, sir! Dobby will finds it for you!" the elf promised.

"Yes, but do not punish yourself if you are unable to, so long as you try. And report back to me, if I am alone or only with Harry, Dora," he said, indicating the woman beside him, "Or Professor Dumbledore. Understood? I will be leaving my warding against you down for the time being," Severus explained.

"Oh yes, Dobby is working very hard, Master Potions Master, sir! Dobby is loving working at Hogwarts, sir, and Dobby will find the bad thing," he said before popping away.

It was probably a fool's errand, but if anyone could find it…

" _Delegation_ , I like it. You should get used to others working with you, Severus. Now, where were we?" she asked pleasingly.

 **A/N: I hope you liked it!**


	70. Chapter 70 The First Task

Chapter- 70- The First Task

*****Harry*****

The first task was less than a week away, and in this DA session, Harry was particularly excited. He was ready to try Legilimency, if someone still wanted to let him practice with them. Harry couldn't really do anything against his dad or Dora, but they were really good, and his dad _had_ said that Harry had made great progress.

Enough people had gathered in their empty classroom early that Harry was about to go slip over and open up the sink.

"Hey, why do you always go open up the Chamber alone or with a few of your Gryffindor friends?" Michael Corner asked. "Isn't it a Slytherin chamber? And you're a Gryffindor, no matter who your father is. Why should you be the only one who gets to know the cool secret?"

Harry did not like Michael Corner. The boy was annoying. And it wasn't just because he had been hanging around Ginny a lot lately, when she wasn't with Draco, or Colin, or Neville. Ginny was too young to be around boys all the time, wasn't she? Though Hermione always- Harry was being stupid and couldn't really even complete his objection in his head. Ginny could talk to whoever she wanted, of course. It was a big-brother-like protectiveness, or something.

And now what was he supposed to do about Michael Corner?

Harry looked over at Ron and Hermione. Ron shrugged visibly. "You wouldn't be able to open it anyway," Ron shot back.

"Why? What makes you special?" Michael asked.

"You don't have to be rude about it," Ernie McMillan jumped in. "But Harry, we would all really like to know. Shouldn't the Slytherins know?" he asked, though no Slytherin had ever said anything about it. And none were saying so now.

It was better if he said something instead of them figuring it out. "You have to say the parseltongue word for "open" for it to open up. Anyone can learn to make the noise though. But I- am a parselmouth. My dad's not, but they say his great-grandfather was one," Harry explained. It was a lie he and his dad had discussed that they'd use if they needed to. It was amazing that it had gone on this long really, wish him under as much attention as he sometimes was.

It was quiet for what must have only been five seconds but felt like forever.

"That's really cool!" came a small voice. "It's like your patronus. That makes sense. _I_ have a snake, could you really talk to her?" It was a blond little Slytherin girl, Draco's new seeker last year, so she'd be a third year now, Ginny's year, but she was tiny, even for a seeker.

"I'd love to," Harry answered, deciding that this girl, Murphy, whose first name Harry didn't know, was one of his new favourite people if this blew over well.

"Can we go see you open it then?" Ernie asked, interested again. The Hufflepuff boy was always eager in their Care of Magical Creatures class.

"Er, yeah, sure," Harry said, because he couldn't really see a reason why only he should get to, though his father probably wouldn't be thrilled with just anyone opening the Chamber. But, it's not like anyone could use it for something bad like Riddle had if half of the school knew how to go in after the person. And there was no more basilisk, which had been the main problem.

"Oh helloooo…" Myrtle greeted. "Not by yourself this time. Going to show others how it's done? Does that mean I can tell them? I _always_ knew there was something strange about that sink. Ever since I died from seeing those basilisk eyes right over there," Myrtle explained to the growing and eagerly listening crowd. She liked the attention. "I helped them find where to open up that sink," you know," she bragged. Harry liked her better happy.

He didn't really mind Myrtle at all- except for that one time that she said that if Harry died, he'd be welcome to share her toilet. Harry wasn't sure really how the ghost thing worked, but if he did become a ghost, he'd do something cool like scouting out areas too dangerous for wizards to go in, helping the aurors or something- not hanging around in a loo. But Myrtle seemed happier lately, and spent time with some of the other ghosts and wasn't always in her toilet anymore, so that was good, probably- though the ghost seemed to enjoy talking about death a lot.

" _Open_ ," Harry said when half the crowd was still looking at Myrtle. They gasped when he hissed though, and the sink started opening. It was pretty impressive, Harry supposed.

"There, just like that, see that hole big enough for a basilisk now," Myrtle went on.

Harry stepped back and was relieved when the students started going down. Now that it was clean, and none of these students had seen how filthy it had been, everyone enjoyed sliding down. Up became more of a problem as their group grew and a smaller percent was members of quidditch teams- since a lot of other students didn't have brooms- but they managed.

"Harry," Cedric nudged and pointed to the door.

Harry had not been expecting that.

Victor Krum looked strange, holding his Firebolt and standing outside of a Hogwarts girls loo. So they _did_ get to keep their national competition brooms, or he had another one for personal use, Harry noted.

"You allow your Hogwarts competition to join. Vat about me?" he asked.

"Er- I don't see why not," Harry said. They'd never turned anyone down before.

"Because your father not trust my headmaster. But he vastes his time. Karkaroff is furious you are take part. Dis es truth."

"I'll- tell him that," Harry said.

"It vould not make difference, I tink," the young man smiled. He looked less imposing than Harry had seen before.

"Go ahead down. Anyone is welcome," Harry said.

The session started like any other, putting cushions along the ground that had disappeared since last time- Harry didn't really know enough about magic to explain it. He did wonder if it was worth it to just invest in some cushions, but the conjuring was good practice. Then Harry made sure that all the students were in pairs or groups and knew what they wanted to work on. Then he planned on going to find Ron, Hermione, and some of the more advanced students, to see who wanted to try Occlumency.

"Ve- vill duel, yes?" Krum said, suddenly standing next to Harry.

"Huh? Oh, you don't have a partner then. You could- probably work with some of the seventh years if you wanted to, like Cedric," Harry offered. Though maybe he liked the idea after Krum suggested it.

"I vant to duel you. You lead group, yes?"

"It's just people that practices whatever they want, really. I don't do much more than anyone else," Harry said.

"Lie. You are leader. I see," Krum said. "Now ve duel?"

"Er- yeah, we can duel just- nothing lethal, you know?" Harry said, feeling foolish, but wanting to make sure that Krum knew that what was going on was just friendly practice. He didn't want to have something miscommunicated.

"Durmstrang students not all dark. I do not use- how you say, no-block spells?" Krum said with a frown.

"Er- we call them the Unforgivables, if that's what you mean. Yeah, that's a good rule. But- no blasting, cutting, or anything like that at neck level or above, general rule. Nothing that Hermione can't fix, because she's decent at some healing. Or Milly- she's a house elf- if we really need help. And you have to make sure nothing hits anyone else," Harry explained. That was getting harder when there were more of them.

Krum nodded and walked several paces away deliberately, and assumed a dueling stance that Harry hadn't seen before. It made sense that people from different places would have their own style. They must be starting then.

Harry threw up a shield first. Victor Krum didn't strike him as being defensive, but maybe he was wrong.

Krum didn't cast a spell. He just stared at Harry.

 _STUPEFY,_ Harry tried. He probably wouldn't expect a fourth year to cast silently, but he, his dad, and sometimes Dora had been working on it.

Krum still blocked it easily and finally sent his spell in return, something that Harry didn't recognize but didn't let hit him. And Krum sent a stunner quickly after, which Harry blocked as well.

A few more spells traded, some Harry recognized, others he didn't. It wasn't like dueling his father or Dora. He didn't move much or make Harry move, but he was still good. Fast with reflexes that made him an elite seeker. Sometimes Harry shouted a protego aloud because he couldn't think fast enough, even though it should be faster without.

And those eyes. He stared into Harry's eyes so directly that it made Harry want to-

 _Legilimens_ , Harry thought.

He tried to just see the surface thoughts, what moves Krum was planning the moment before. But instead, Harry saw people who had to be Krum's parents, giving him kisses good-bye, Krum reading a worried letter from home. Feeling lonely with too many girls following him around.

It was too distracting. Harry wasn't ready for this yet. He hadn't known it would feel like that. Harry threw out a stunner, the only thing he could think of, just hoping it would stop.

Victor Krum crashed to the ground. Apparently, he had been more disoriented by it than Harry.

Then Harry noticed the gasp and clapping from the crowd- crowd? Apparently, dozens of students, maybe a hundred, had been watching, though not from close enough that Harry noticed them earlier.

"Sorry I- didn't mean to do that, really, I just- I was just supposed to see what you were planning next," Harry apologized quickly and quietly.

"Vat was dat?" Victor asked, rising to his feet easily when Harry dropped his spell. He didn't even acknowledge the other people around him. Harry guessed that after playing professional quidditch, this didn't feel like much.

"Legilimency to er- see into your mind, but I didn't mean it to happen like that, I swear," Harry said. It was reckless and invasive, and he should have only practiced with someone who gave him permission.

"I have heard of dis. It vas distracting," Krum said, though he did not seem upset. "Good-bye, Harry Potter."

"You- don't have to go," Harry said, though he could see why Krum would want to, when so many people were being nosy.

"I have to practice. _I_ do not share tactics, especially with strong opponent."

He'd called Harry a strong opponent- and for good reason, really. "I just knew a weird trick. It wasn't anything that special," Harry brushed off- because that was polite, but he was proud of himself anyway. "If you- ever want to fly sometime, the quidditch pitch is yours. All the Hogwarts seekers are here if you- wanted to try," Harry found himself offering what he had wanted to try, all five seekers going for one snitch- or multiple snitches, whichever.

"You are seeker," he said, and Harry wasn't sure if it was a statement or a question.

"Yeah. And Cedric is too," he added.

Krum nodded.

"I vill see you at task," he said, retrieving his broom and walking towards the exit.

"What did you _do_?" Ron asked.

"Legilimency. Do you want to practice Occlumency?" Harry asked. Ron and Hermione already knew about his plans.

"Yeah!" Ron agreed.

Practice quieted down after that, most people working on spells they already knew, but Harry ended up trying Legilimency against a few people who wanted to try. Draco blocked him out entirely, but that just made Harry want to get better. He could tell that Hermione had been practicing Occlumency, even when she didn't have much to go off of, and no one else had any defenses at all. Harry hoped that his Occlumency was at least as good as Draco's. It wasn't fair, Harry was reminded, that people like he and Draco could do magic in the summers. But life wasn't fair in many ways.

"Krum really should have dueled you," Harry told Cedric as they ended up both near the back of the group.

"Why, so he'd win?" Diggory shot back.

"No, I didn't- I mean, you're really the Hogwarts champion," Harry said. He didn't want the older boy to resent him for the attention.

"Nah, it's fine," Cedric said. "You know, whoever confounded the goblet into thinking there was a fourth school or whatever, didn't really need to bother with more than entering your name. I think you would have been picked if the whole school was entered.

"I- I'm just a fourth year. I don't know enough," Harry objected. Though, he had had a lot of extra training- for a while now.

" _Sure_ , Harry. _Sure_. People won't mind if you just take a compliment sometime. You know you've changed this whole school, right? Everyone was terrified of your dad four years ago- for good reason- and I'm no expert, but as far as I know, Slytherins and Gryffindors have hated each other for a thousand years, and you've brought a lot of them together."

"Then- thanks," Harry answered, though Dora was responsible for a lot of that too. Harry smiled and picked out two small first year girls to give a ride to the top of the slide. Maybe Krum really left early because he heard that people with brooms had to help others get back up. He would have been _very_ popular.

*****Severus*****

Severus knew he was overly protective of Harry by most standards. But other parents did not have to cope in similar circumstances. And most parents didn't have the opportunity to follow their child's movements as easily as Severus could.

He had spent hours looking over that map, sometimes just watching the dot labeled "Harry" stay, unmoving in his bed in Gryffindor Tower. It was like watching the boy sleep, but weirder. But he hadn't seen anyone unexpected on the grounds- though he couldn't look at the damn map at all times- and Karkaroff had passed every test Severus had tried. The man had no Occlumency skills to speak of.

And yet, despite all efforts, Severus's son was once again in immediate danger- more urgently than the horcrux in his skull, which Severus was also no closer to solving. And there had been no miraculously found horcrux from Dobby, and no insight into any of the others.

And now Harry would enjoy a care-free visit to Hogsmeade, despite his increasingly soon encounter with a dragon. Though Harry was also more competent than any fourteen-year old, Severus had met- which was many. It didn't improve Severus's mood that Dora couldn't go to Hogsmeade with him that day.

Severus had never enjoyed Hogsmeade weekends much when he was in school. At first, he had gone with Lily, but even those days would be marred with some fight with her housemates. They had less to talk about than when they were nine years old. Or she would complain about his Slytherin "friends"- whom truthfully, he did not care much for either. In his later years, Severus only went if he needed anything from the town, and he couldn't have afforded much.

But recently, Severus had enjoyed watching Harry experience Hogsmeade, and consented to Dora dragging him around- watching her smile. On rare occasions, she giggled- a verb Severus had found appalling before it was Dora. He had more often experienced dry laughs- scoffs. Now he was lonely with the prospect of an afternoon apart.

It was the Zonko's window that caught his eye- and who was taking a product out of the window to sell to a customer. Severus found himself walking into the place.

"Mr. Weasley?" Severus asked Fred Weasley when the third year boy he had been helping had walked off. "When did you find the time for employment?" he asked.

"It's just on Hogsmeade weekends," Fred said quickly. "It's their busiest days. George is in the back, and so's Lee. It's some money and good for us to see how the business works," Fred said cheerfully for a teenage boy giving up Honeydukes and The Three Broomsticks."

"That is a very mature idea, Mr. Weasley. I will warn you to not show your employers any of your inventions, to keep your endeavours entirely separate, or you could be giving them rights to your ideas," Severus cautioned.

"I know. We've all read a few business books lately, especially Lee. We're thinking George and I will be co-owners and creators, and Lee will be our business manager until he breaks into the quidditch business. But I've got to get back to work, sir. A customer's ready at the register."

Responsible young men. Severus would not have imagined that of the first years whom he gave more detentions to than any other students in his time at the school.

*****Harry*****

Harry stared at the figurine of the Hungarian Horntail in his palm. Was this planned somehow, Harry getting the worst, most dangerous dragon? Harry remembered what his dad had said about the tasks maybe being set to be worst for Harry to get him killed. But there was nothing to do but to go out there and try. He'd be compelled to do it if he resisted, they said, and Harry wouldn't let that happen.

The task wasn't much different than they had thought, retrieving a golden egg from a nesting mother dragon. It had made him feel somewhat better that the seventeen-year-olds had looked worried. Fleur didn't seem to have her normal composure, and Krum was even quieter and surly looking than usual

Harry tried not to listen as he heard the crowd roar and some of the commentating for first Cedric, then Fluer, and finally Krum. It would probably be an advantage to go last if he wanted to analyze what the other contestants had done, but Harry didn't want to. He was better at making quick decisions when he really had to, though that was something he would never tell his father.

When the whistle finally blew for Harry to enter the enclosure, he just thought of it as a quidditch game. Noise was simply something to ignore, cheers for or against him. The mother dragon on the other side of the field being the only thing that really mattered.

It was a cruel task really. The dragon was just protecting her eggs, the gold one along with the others. If he could just talk with her, she'd probably understand, and roll the golden egg right to him. Instead, he was going to try to confuse her and take it by force. It didn't seem right. Maybe she would remember how much humans hurt her, taking her egg. If only he could talk to her.

But- maybe he could? He had never actually tried to talk to another reptile. Parseltongue didn't work on Hedwig, but surely dragons were pretty close to snakes, weren't they? Tom Riddle spoke to a basilisk.

"Sonorus," Harry whispered, duplicating the spell that Ludo Bagman was using right now, that Harry had heard him use at the Quidditch World Cup. He felt good about this.

" _I won't hurt you. I jusst want the golden egg that the two-leggerss placed with your own younglings_ ," Harry hissed.

Harry thought it would work right up until the giant Hungarian Horntail left her nest and charged at him.

Okay, maybe she didn't understand.

And maybe dragons liked to _eat_ snakes.

"Conjuctivus!" Harry screamed. He hit the dragon directly in her wide, angry eyes. She screamed and halted, for the moment. Blinding the dragon was good, yes. They had very keen eyes that they relied on most to hunt, he had read. But getting past her would still be hard, and dangerous. She'd hear him, or smell him. And she'd get braver the closer he got to the nest.

Harry ran to the open space to the side, further from both the mother and her nest. Her head turned, back and forth, but she didn't charge again. She was a least a little used to humans, probably, if she was from where Charlie worked.

Harry tried silently summoning the golden egg, but it didn't work. He was sure he had done the charm right. Certain of it. So, they'd made the egg so that it couldn't be summoned. That made sense- it would be too easy, because anyone would know the summoning charm.

She started edging back towards her nest, carefully, unsure of her footing because she couldn't see.

She didn't want to accidentally step on her own eggs. Were those real dragon eggs? Were real, baby dragons like Norbert at risk if Harry messed up? Sure, he couldn't do any real damage to the giant, terrifying dragon, but what about the eggs?

Making up his mind, Harry conjured a cushion next to him. Easy, he'd been conjuring cushions silently for a while now down in the Chamber of Secrets for their defense practices. Then came the hard part, the part that she might notice. Silently summoning the other eggs from the nest.

There was a small 'clink' that had the mother's full attention, running back towards her nest, but Harry had them all by then. Which was good, because she crashed right over it, and could have destroyed her eggs if any were left besides the gold one.

Now he needed to get far away from the real eggs and pick up the gold one himself. All without getting caught by an angry Hungarian horntail who was starting to breathe fire into the sky. The crowd was safe, weren't they? The sky. He needed to be faster than the dragon, which had seemed like such a problem, but he went faster than that dragon could fly at least a few times a week.

 _Accio firebolt_ , Harry thought as hard as he could. He'd never summoned anything that far away, much less silently. It wouldn't be easy, especially with the shut window in Gryffindor Tower, but at least it wasn't in the dungeon. If he wanted the magic to work enough, he could do it.

Harry could feel it as it happened, could feel the broom come right to him, and he swung his leg on, flying immediately to the other side of the field from the real eggs. He dimly noticed the roar of the crowd. They apparently liked what he was doing, and Ludo Bagman did especially, but Harry was good at tuning that out.

The crowd was just confusing the dragon more, breathing flames wildly, once forcing Harry to dodge, which he did easily. Being on a broom was still the best feeling Harry could think of.

"Over here," Harry screamed. He hadn't needed to have shouted so loudly, but he had forgotten that his voice was still magnified. But it got the point across.

She rose into the air straight towards him, really angry now. Did she think her eggs were gone or smashed?

But the kindest thing Harry could do for her was to make it be over quickly.

"Impedimenta," Harry said, hoping to slow her down some as he dodged her flames. And then her tail.

It was funny that the egg was golden, making him think of a snitch. Except that it was a lot easier to find. And really heavy, Harry thought as he hoisted it up and went higher into the air, hoping the dragon wouldn't follow. What did he do now?

But apparently, Harry had done all that he needed to do. When there was no fire following him, Harry glanced back to see half a dozen people surrounding the dragon now, one of them with red hair.

He'd done it. He'd used the spells that his father had taught him, and a last moment invention of his own, and Harry felt great about it. Harry wasn't really sure where to go, so he landed and walked back into the tent he had come from.

No one was there until Ron burst in from the other side, quickly followed by Hermione, Neville, and Harry's father.

"Harry, you were blo- really brilliant!" Ron shouted. "Even Karkaroff couldn't give you less than an eight, and he looked pretty sour doing it, when he gave Krum a _ten_ , and Krum did basically the same thing you did but worse, because the dragon crushed some of the other eggs with his. And Krum didn't have the cool flying, didn't even think about flying even though he's this great seeker," Ron went on.

"You did very well, Harry," Hermione summarized.

"And you got tens from all the other judges, so you're in the lead by a few points," Neville added.

Wow, in the lead… Harry thought. With only two more tasks to go.

"If you excuse us, Harry needs to be looked over by Madame Pomfrey," Harry's dad said, ushering the others out.

"I'm fine, really," Harry said, but didn't mind when his dad brought him into a hug. It was a parent thing to be worried. That dragon was pretty scary.

He never did get looked over, but that didn't really matter. The other champions came in, Cedric with a torn sleeve and bandage on his arm, Fleur with a- half-burned skirt- Harry tried not to stare at her long legs. She had to be cold. Krum looked fine. Bagman told them a bit about the egg being theirs to keep and their clue for the next event, though Harry and his dad had a basic plan for the second task already, the clue would be helpful. And with it being close to December already, Harry was excited for some time to celebrate and a break before the next task.

"Harry," Krum said just when Harry was about to leave the tent and find his friends again. "I vill fly against you as you say. The Hogwarts seekers, but no crowd."

"Yeah, that sounds great," Harry agreed with a glance at Cedric who was nodding too. "We'll talk to the others then." Krum nodded and walked out first without another word. That was something else to look forward to.

 **A/N: I hoped you liked my version of the First Task. Please let me know! For those of you wondering how Harry could be in the tournament given some of my past changes… well, I can assure you that I know exactly why, and let me know when you think you've got part of it figured out.**


	71. Chapter 71 Finding the Lost

Chapter 71- Finding the Lost

*****Severus*****

"Good, good," Dora was telling Harry. The boy had made remarkable progress, casting silently, understanding intent, excellent improvement on both Occlumency and Legilimency, proving a challenge for Dora these days, which was good for them both.

All three of them turned to the noise of the intruder- the house elf, Dobby.

"Sir, I is finding crown, sir! Is bad but so pretty! And not as much bad as the book, but the same bad but not as much," and the elf held out in its bare hands the lost diadem of Ravenclaw, missing for hundreds of years, nearly the whole existence of the school if legends were true- though apparently not lost to Tom Riddle.

"How- where did you find it?" Severus asked. House elves could be surprising, but he had not truly expected- Severus had begun to doubt that he was right about a horcrux being at Hogwarts, after all the searching.

"The Come and Go Room. The elves use it for things we need. I asked and the room showed me many things and crown!" the elf explained- or somewhat explained- a magical room that brought you whatever you wanted. That- needed to be examined further.

"And- did you check for other bad things?" Severus asked.

"No more bad things in the castle, Dobby thinks, no bad like that," the elf said.

"Thank you, Dobby. I will be needing more information about this room, but for now, just- leave it on the floor," Severus instructed. "And you may go," he dismissed.

"Good-bye Master Potions Master, Harry Potter, and friend," the elf said before popping away.

"So- any idea what it's going to try to do when you destroy it?" Harry asked. He'd gotten the summaries of all of the others, but hadn't actually been there, even for the locket.

"We never know," Severus said softly. Destroying another horcrux. Actually _doing_ something felt great. "I- theorize that each horcrux is weaker than the last, imbued with a smaller portion of Riddle's soul, and this horcrux would be the fourth or fifth that he created, but it cannot be underestimated," Severus explained. He cast a detection spell to be sure. Yes, that was a horcrux, but maybe it _was_ weaker than the last ones. Dobby had thought so, and house elves knew things.

"So- do you have the sword?" Dora asked.

"Harry, can you get it for me?" Severus asked, and Harry ran off, returning quickly, and holding out the sword properly by its hilt. Once Severus had the idea, he couldn't let it go. "Harry, would you like to be the one to destroy it?" he asked, glancing at Dora who smiled back.

"Really? Yeah! What do I have to look out for?" the boy asked.

"Dora and I will be right here. Keep your occlumency defenses strong. It may try to trick you," Severus said.

"Okay," Harry said, raising the sword up and stepping forward- the first Gryffindor to use it for its new horcrux- destroying purpose.

The diadem didn't seem to be reacting. Maybe it really was weaker than the others.

"Why do I have to?" Harry asked in a small voice. "We should save this one for last. If you wear the diadem, you are to be as intelligent as Rowena Ravenclaw herself. That will help us find the other horcruxes, won't it?"

"Harry, it's trying to trick you."

"But it's not like the locket, that was but a trinket. There is so much _good_ magic in this," Harry said, words that weren't entirely his, didn't sound like something Harry would say. "Just like there's good in me," he whispered the last bit.

Was that sword piercing Severus's heart? That was what those words felt like from his son's mouth. It was a bad idea. He was supposed to be protecting his son. Respecting and informing didn't have to mean including. Harry could still be a little child for a while longer. But at this point, that needed to be Harry's choice. "Harry, you don't have to do this. But if you don't, then you need to give me the sword," Severus said quietly.

" _NO!_ I can do it. I'm _not_ weak. _Not_ a freak. I'm _not_ stupid. I'm _not_ \- the HORCRUX!" Harry shouted, bringing the blade down, striking the large sapphire at the apex of the diadem squarely, shattering it, in a way that a normal blade shouldn't have.

"Harry, are you alright?" Severus asked the most useless question that he still needed to ask, wrapping both hands on the boy's shoulders.

"Yeah, I'm good. I- really needed that I think. What's next?" he asked eagerly. The boy defied psychological reason. And what was he supposed to say now?

"You, will keep practicing silent magic, and tomorrow night we can go into the lake after dark if you think you're ready," Severus said.

"I'm ready, really ready. I can even cast the bubblehead charm on myself under water and summon fresh air for it if I run out of gillyweed."

"Which you won't because you will take plenty and have more on you," Severus said, for his own comfort rather than the boy's. And if you need the bubbleheaded charm, you will also cast warming charms," he reminded.

"Yeah, I know. So we really get to go and find the merfolk?" Harry asked. Severus recognized merfolk speech in the egg immediately, and hearing the riddle wasn't difficult after that. There was still the troublesome element of the taken item- or _person_ , as Severus suspected. Something else that Severus needed to speak to Albus about.

"Only from a distance, and to observe the other creatures in the lake," Severus said. "And now, if you are truly alright, I need to speak to the headmaster," Severus said, indicating the destroyed diadem. He did one more scan and confirmed an absence of dark magic before conjuring a handkerchief to pick up the thing and tuck it into his robes. Harry would be fine because the boy was always somehow fine.

The walk to Albus's office had never felt so long. This was it, what had seemed like one of the most impossible tasks before them, the diadem that they knew so little about, including its existence. But it was found and was a horcrux, and was destroyed. And now they only had the cup and the snake- and Harry, the hardest part to resolve in a manner that Severus could accept.

The man's office was blissfully empty- except for the portraits that Albus refused to get rid of, but they were allegedly perfectly loyal to him.

"It is destroyed," Severus said, depositing the broken adornment on Albus's desk. "I thought you might still want it," he said.

"A pity that Tom wrought so much destruction, isn't it?" Albus commented, running his fingers over the piece.

"I feel worse for whatever poor soul was murdered for this- artifact's contamination, but I suppose it was rather pretty."

"And said to bring true wisdom to its wearer, though I do not believe it ever brought happiness, and what else should be wisdom's aim?" Severus did not have a response, but one didn't seem to be needed. "Where did you find it, my boy?" he asked.

"Dobby the house elf found it. He could recognize its dark magic," was all Severus said.

"Oh yes, _amazing_ creatures, house elves. And I am so glad that you have warmed to Dobby. He is quite a fun addition to castle staff, I think." Albus would like the mad elf.

"I- began thinking," Severus formulated. "With the discovery of the snake, we agree that he only knowingly created five before his fall, the snake being his sixth, as he would not have made the seventh, saving that for- Harry's death. And with four destroyed, leaving only Hufflepuff's cup, which he likely killed the old woman to create. The locations were what was troubling me. The locket at the site where he tormented children, the ring in an ancestral home of sorts, the diadem at Hogwarts, being a special place to him and fitting for the lost diadem. And the diary given to Lucius Malfoy, a loyal follower. But not his _most_ loyal follower."

"You believe he gave the cup to another?" Albus asked.

"I believe he entrusted it to Bellatrix Lestrange," Severus declared.

*****Harry*****

His father had explained many ways that gillyweed was the best choice. Harry wouldn't feel the cold of the water, would be better at seeing without light so deep underwater, wouldn't be bothered by the changes in pressure, couldn't have his air bubble puncture… the list went on, but Harry was having trouble remembering that as he looked at what looked like a ball of slimy greenish worms in his hand. Gillyweed _sounded_ like a plant, but Harry hadn't asked because he hadn't really wanted to know if it wasn't.

He had practiced simple spells like lumos and accio in the bath he had in the dungeons, but he hadn't gotten to try cool things like dueling spells.

"All of the Durmstrang students and Karkaroff are in bed, we shouldn't be seen," his father whispered. Harry wasn't sure how he knew this.

"It's freezing," Harry complained as he dropped his thick cloak and his robes, left in just his swimming shorts.

"Aren't you a wizard?" his father reminded him. They _had_ talked a lot about warming charms. Harry cast one and was ready to go, trainers and robes with his father's, and his dad warded that.

His father still had a long-sleeved shirt on, and his shorts, but Harry wasn't surprised.

His father with his own gillyweed in hand said, "Three, two, one," and they both shoved the mess into their mouths. It was less comfortable to eat even than it looked. And he'd need to eat that again for the task. He finally got it down, and it seemed that his father had as well.

"In now," his father instructed, and Harry reluctantly stuck his feet into the cold, his warming charm helping, but not enough. But it would probably be even worse in February. His father kept walking deeper, so Harry did too, even though he still hadn't felt any change from the gillyweed. Then it happened, the sudden smothering feeling that had to be the gillyweed working. He made the mistake of trying to breathe with his lungs one more time- not comfortable, and even his metamorphmagus abilities hadn't prepared him for the sensation of gills forming, feeling like they were sliced into his neck. He had known to expect it, but it was still awful.

Harry dove into the water, and he would have even if his father wasn't yanking him down after him. Using his gills felt more like breathing water than drinking it. Harry wondered if muggles with those neck tube things from surgery or too much cigarette smoking or something felt like this.

It was easier to see the changes on his dad than himself. Gills, greenish all over, webbed hands and feet. And the water- no longer icy and uncomfortable, but light, almost like flying through the air. Even after learning to swim, it hadn't been Harry's favourite thing, but now, as he tested out his flippers, it was amazing. And he could see so well, even though it was dark outside, though the murky, dirty water limited the vision to a few meters.

They had made sure that the giant squid wasn't about, but the thing could move fast, so Harry kept an eye out, and for anything else. Small fish swam around them, and Harry could see plants too- almost like seaweed- maybe it was- Harry was no expert. His dad nodded Harry along but allowed him to lead as long as they stayed together. Harry swam forward, making sure to keep a good grip of his wand in this webbed hand- that was good to practice. Harry moved further down and away from the shore, reasoning that merfolk would probably live in the bottom and near the middle of the lake, or on the side further from Hogwarts.

The weeds were where he was most likely to find grindylows, Harry knew. And right now, he wanted to find them, needed to try it out.

 _Impedimenta_ , Harry thought, aiming it at the swaying plants. It looked different than in the air, like a pulse in the water.

Swimming over the plants instead of through them to the other side, Harry found one grindylow, moving towards him, the long fingers of the water demon raised. _Stupefy_ , Harry thought, watching the spell move, much slower than outside of water- Harry would have to remember that, but it did knock out the demon that it hit. Harry moved on, his father following before taking the lead himself. His father had seen something, Harry thought.

A huge rock was before them, with paintings of what must have been merpeople fighting the giant squid. They were pretty accurate paintings, from what Harry could tell based on pictures he'd seen in books. Underwater painting had to be hard. Ducking his head around the rock, Harry could see some stone homes, and felt like he was invading.

But they were done anyway. His father pointed at his watch and then upwards. Time for them to go. Going back up to the surface was even easier than going down, and it felt almost as good as diving on his broom. It probably wouldn't be as easy while dragging something or someone else, but Harry floated up easily now. Other than the uncomfortable growing gills part, and the waiting for the gills to go away at the end part- which wasn't a comfortable process either- it had been amazing. And Harry felt ready already, and the second task was still months away, with everyone still excited from the first task.

But… wasn't this task going to be a lot harder for everyone to watch?

"Hey, Cedric?" Harry asked after he had everyone set up for a DA session the next day. He was feeling tired, but it was worth it to have seen the lake like that. It would be pretty cool to take friends down there, though his father would call it reckless… "Have you figured out the egg clue?" he asked in an undertone. After all, they had only had the egg for about two weeks, and Harry never would have known without his father.

"Yeah, I did," Cedric said proudly. "I guess you already-?"

"Yeah. How'd you figure it out?" Harry diverted.

"I took it to the kitchen, got a big pot and tried to boil it- but I could hear that it was different underwater, so when it cooled down, I took it to the prefects' bath to hear it properly."

"You- tried to boil it?" Harry asked.

Cedric laughed, "Hey, I had tried a lot of things already. And I _like_ boiled eggs, _and_ it worked."

"Well, good. You've got a plan then?" Harry aske, hoping he didn't sound rude.

"Yeah, I think it'll work. I've got to not let you show me up _too_ much, don't I?"

"I- you know I don't-" Harry tried.

"Harry, just enjoy it. We just want a win for Hogwarts, right?"

"Yeah, that'd be good," Harry agreed awkwardly.

"And thanks again for the tip off on the dragons, and all that time to prepare. I never learned a disillusionment charm before, and it worked decently with the transfiguration of the rock. It still found me eventually, but-" Cedric shrugged.

*****Severus*****

They had found and successfully destroyed the lost diadem of Ravenclaw, and Severus had an idea of where the Hufflepuff cup might be- though actually getting to it would be considerably more difficult.

Additionally, Harry had admirably handled the first of these ridiculous tasks put before him. And honestly, Severus thought Harry was ready to handle the next one tomorrow if needed, but they still had months to prepare, to be even more certain.

Though Severus still had no idea who had put Harry's name in the goblet to begin with.

And, there was Karkaroff- apparently innocent of this but still a thorn for Severus. As the Dark Mark darkened on their forearms, Karkaroff thought and spoke more and more often about fleeing entirely. Severus didn't discourage it, but he did question where the man thought would be safer than Hogwarts. Not Durmstrang, Severus thought. And Severus's questioning of the Durmstrang and Beauxbatons students in early November had been fruitless as well. And Albus had assured him that Madame Maxime was innocent as well.

Somehow… despite these concerns, no negative developments were happening for the moment. A small reprieve. Which, perhaps, they all deserved.

"Severus, where are you taking me? I thought it was the kitchens until we passed it three floors ago," Dora asked.

"We're about halfway there," Severus said in non-answer. Dora was impatient.

"You're not using your authority to break into the Gryffindor common room, are you? Because we really could have just used the floo."

"Not there," Severus said. Wondering what she would make of it. Figuratively and literally.

She gasped perhaps thirty seconds later, "We're going to that place Dobby talked about, aren't we?" she asked, clutching his hand tightly. But Severus wasn't sure if the last part was for excitement or so she wouldn't fall on their current flight of stairs.

"You wish to spoil a surprise?" he replied.

"Ooh, ooh, did you tell the Headmaster about it?" she asked.

"I will," Severus said. And he would, eventually.

"And Harry?"

"He heard the elf. But I hardly think it is a place that a teenage boy needs access to. It would be best if no one found its location." A room that magical wouldn't be something he could likely block off as he had the tunnel to Honeydukes. But if the adolescent populous know of its existence, they would doubtless want to use it for… imprudent uses… the likes of which had occupied his own mind considerably lately.

"Here," Severus said, indicating the correct corridor that they had arrived at, from all appearances only containing only a tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy. "The way to open the room is to walk past that area," he indicated where the door would appear, "back and forth three times, concentrating on what you want, what you need to be in that room. And the door will appear."

"Oh? Sounds exciting. And what will you be making appear for our _date_ this evening?" she asked, eyes bright.

"Oh no, _I_ am but along for the ride," he said, arm outstretched, inviting her to go forward instead.

"Oh, with pleasure," she smiled.

 **A/N: Another horcrux down. Please let me know what you think about all that! And with Severus with so many things on his mind, he deserves a chance to relax.**


	72. Chapter 72 The Unwanted Task

The Unwanted Task

*****Harry*****

When the Yule Ball was announced, and Harry was faced with the idea of asking a girl to the Yule Ball, Harry thought he might rather have another go with the dragon. The dragon wasn't so bad. Harry had at least _understood_ her. Now, he was noticing girls everywhere, walking in packs, some of the watching him. Who was he supposed to ask? Did he really have to do the asking? Cho was the first who came to mind, but- he basically knew that Cedric liked her, and she probably liked Cedric back.

Harry entered the common room and sat down next to Ron at a table, wondering why his friend wasn't sitting at their typical armchairs. Glancing over, he noticed that Hermione was even over there already. Not wanted to ask if they'd had a falling out, he asked instead, "Do you know who you want to as to the dance?" They still had plenty of time, right? It was only announced the day before.

"Yeah. Just working up the courage to ask her," he said, shifting in his seat.

"Who?" Harry asked back.

Ron took a deep breath and stood up, "You'll see."

He walked over to Hermione and Harry could hear him still, "Er- Hermione, I wondered if maybe you wanted to go to the Yule Ball with me? Er- I mean, it doesn't have to be serious- just as friends so we don't- you know, go alone," Ron stammered out with a painful smile.

"So we don't have to _go alone_?" Hermione repeated, but it sounded worse when she said it. Harry knew that Ron would be regretting those words, "Like I'm your last resort? Well, I'll have you know, Ron Weasley, that not everyone thinks of me that way. It so happens that someone's already asked me! So, what do you have to say to that, Ron Weasley?"

Ron opened and closed his mouth twice before saying in a rush, "Thank you for telling me, and I hope you have a lovely time," Ron said before bolting up to the fourth-year boy's dormitory.

Harry watched his other friend make a similar dash for the portrait hole, to the protests of two girls entering the common room as Hermione ran out of it. Would all the other girls be taken already too? Harry would look ridiculous as the only champion without a partner. But- how should he ask? He could talk to girls fine- in the context of quidditch or defense group… and Hermione was easy to talk to- except for just then…

Seeing Parvati and Lavender walk past, Harry collected his courage to go over. _Parvati_ , he decided in that moment. Parvati was nice enough, and learned pretty fast in defense. "Parvati? Will you go to the Yule Ball with me?" Harry managed to ask.

The two girls giggled together for a moment, raising Harry's discomfort. "Okay. Just let me see your dress robes later and I'll pick out one of mine to coordinate."

"Great. Thanks. And Lavender? Would you like to go with Ron?"

The other girl made a face, "Well, I don't have a date _yet_ , but that doesn't mean I won't get asked. If he asks me _himself_ before tomorrow evening I'll say yes, and I won't accept another offer until then."

"Great, thanks," Harry said, smile on his face and dashing up the stairs to see his friend, that problem fixed at least. The girls were giggling again. Harry disliked giggling.

"Ron?" Harry asked to the closed curtains of Ron's four-poster bed. "Er- I'm going with Parvati now- to the ball, and Lavender said she'd go with you if you asked her before tomorrow night."

"I don't _want_ to go with Lavender," Ron said, throwing open the curtain.

"Er- sounds better than going alone though?"

"Maybe I _will_ go alone. Or not at all. I have wretched laughable dress robes anyway. And she's going with someone else. I don't even know who because I was too scared to ask."

"So- you -er really wanted to go with Hermione then?" Harry asked. He'd thought his friend might like Hermione like that, and maybe that she liked him too, but Harry was really retched at this, so who was he to guess?

"Yeah. I think I've- liked her for a while but it's taken me time to piece it together. Couldn't the other bloke have waited for a bit? McGonagall just announced the ball _yesterday_."

"That's rough, but hey, it's just the for the dance, right? I'm going with Parvati, and I don't like her, so- maybe whoever's taking Hermione doesn't really- like her like that either," Harry offered awkwardly, the best comfort he could think of to offer.

"Y'think so?" Ron asked, and he did seem more hopeful.

*****Severus*****

"Professor Snape?" The youngest Weasley boy asked, approaching his desk when the other children had left.

"Your potion was off-color because of your stirring technique, particularly near the end of your brewing. Your hand shook, and you did not always complete the circular motion of each stir. Still "Acceptable" level work, but you have been doing better, and I expect that to be reflected in your next essay."

"Er- thank you. I suppose my hand was shaking a bit because I was nervous," Ron said. Severus raised an eyebrow at the boy, something he found more effective than words. "Can I ask you some advice? Personal advice? About a girl?"

"I believe you have an owl now, from Black? And there are plenty of school owls that would take a message to your father if you need to talk to him. If it is urgent, you may use my floo," he offered rather generously he thought. This was not a conversation he was prepared to have.

"I don't- er want to talk to my dad. It's been a long time since he er- asked anyone out and my mum's way different. It's about Hermione. And I figured- last time we had a problem, you straightened me out about her cat and the rat. You give good advice," the boy said. Severus had noticed Miss Granger standing further from Mr. Weasley than normal that class period.

"Ask," Severus instructed, feeling a headache coming on.

"Well, I asked Hermione to the Yule Ball, but she was already going with someone. And she got mad like I was asking her as a last resort, because I may have- said something about not wanting to go alone, which I know sounded bad. But I'd never _meant_ to as anyone else. I just thought I'd have more time. Not that I didn't think anyone would ask her- I mean, I guess I _didn't_ think anyone _would_ ask her, but she's great and anyone _should_ want to ask her. But, I mean, most blokes haven't even asked a girl yet. Mc- Professor McGonagall just announced the ball _yesterday_. Well, the day before yesterday now, because that was yesterday that I asked her. How was I supposed to know I needed to ask her so early? And- er how do I fix it now?"

Merlin, the boy thought _he_ was qualified to answer this. Severus wasn't even sure he understood everything the boy had rambled on about.

"Apologize for your wording. Say that it was you own nerves, because that seems to be the case. And if you wish to pursue _something_ with her, invite her to something else. Picnics by the lake were popular in my day, when the days get warmer. Or trips to Hogsmeade? Ask her well in advance and be polite about it." That sounded like solid enough advice to the boy.

"Hogsmeade sounds good, yeah. We can go to the places she likes that Harry and I don't go to much. Yeah. Thanks. Maybe I'll ask her today just so she knows I'm planning well in advance," the boy said, seeming happier than when he came up to the desk.

"Do you need some pocket money?" Severus found himself asking. It was a question he always asked Harry and it- just slipped out. But, regardless of the advice he was giving, he wasn't this child's father, and the Weasley boy had his pride.

The boy looked even more uncomfortable, "I couldn't. I'll be fine. I er- have a little saved."

"I find myself not giving many detentions these day, and there's quite a few caldrons that need to be cleaned," Severus smoothed over. "A good, non-magical scrubbing is best for them, but I don't really have time-" Severus trailed off.

"Really? You mean you'd pay me to clean them? I'd do it well, I swear. I clean lots of things at home without magic."

"That sounds- acceptable. I will begin stacking the caldrons aside for you to come in at your leisure, say once or twice a week, and we can work out a payment schedule. I expect your work in all of your classes not to slip, and for you to let me know in advance if you will not be able to come by for more than a week and a half."

"I won't forget. And I can start anytime. Now even," the boy offered eagerly.

"Anytime tomorrow afternoon or later," Severus said, thinking of potions he might make to dirty cauldrons with something not harmful. He had some potions ingredients that he could have the child prepare as well. If the boy wanted as much work as he seemed to, Severus would just assign any detentions he gave out to Filch. The old squib would be happy and Severus wouldn't have to oversee the little brats. Though he really hadn't been giving many detentions lately. It was for the best, not just because it helped the Weasley boy. Talking with Ron Weasley reminded Severus of a task of his own that he should probably act on.

*****Harry*****

Harry felt a tight grip on his shoulder, "Get me out of here," Ron hissed, but still walked forward.

Harry looked up to see that they were walking towards a group of Hogwarts and Beauxbatons students, including Beauxbaton's champion and part veela, Fleur Delacour and Cedric Diggory. Fleur was looking at Diggory almost predatorily.

"Hey, Fleur," Ron shouted from his side before Harry realized what his friend had asked before. Harry stopped staring at the girl himself and clapped a hand over Ron's mouth and drug him in the opposite direction as quickly as he could. Ron stopped struggling just a meter away, and then took off so fast that Harry had to run to keep up. "I just can't stop myself," Ron muttered. "Thanks for not letting it get worse, Harry," he said. "Hope I didn't make too much of a scene. Hope Hermione doesn't hear."

"You didn't do much, really. I don't think Hermione listens to much gossip anyway, and I don't think there were any Gryffindor's over there. Fleur didn't need to try to get to Diggory though- he's going to go with Cho Chang," Harry told his friend.

Ron stopped, "Wait, did you ask her? Before Parvati? Don't try to tell me you haven't been watching Cho Chang forever."

"What? Er- no, I just- noticed that she and Cedric have been hanging out a lot lately. I'm over that anyway." Had he been obvious about watching Cho? Harry tried to think back, but he didn't _think_ he had been.

"That's rough, mate," Ron consoled.

Days later, Harry found himself almost running headlong into Fleur Delacour, both stopping just short.

"Where are your friends, 'Arry Potter? Ze red-'ead who stares at me, and ze brunette who glares at both 'e and I? And ze ozzers."

"They're -er I don't know where they are right now. Probably in the common room. And Ron doesn't mean to stare- he hates that he does. It didn't help when you were trying to charm Diggory, and he was just caught in it," Harry defended his friend, "You needn't have bothered anyway, because I'm pretty sure he was already going with Cho Chang before then, the Ravenclaw seeker."

Fleur laughed, and it was beautiful, "You speak your mind, 'Arry Potter. And you faced ze dragon very well. I am so-rry for my comments when you were first chosen. You are not such a leetle boy, eet seems."

That was nice of her, and not needed, really, "Uh, thanks. I trained for it a lot, to make up for not having the years of school."

Fleur nodded, "I imagine your father 'elps you as well. You are lucky to 'ave 'eem h'ere. You favor 'eem een looks, but you will be cuter," she said offhand. Harry had no idea how to respond. "Though 'e looked 'andsome for a minute, so _furious_ een your defense. 'Ee can be scary, I imagine."

"I guess, yeah," Harry answered.

"Then you are doubly lucky. May I come to your- defense club, Arry?" she asked.

"Yeah, of course. Anyone's welcome."

"Thank you, 'Arry," she answered. It sounded great when she said it.

"Fleur, have you figured out the clue with the egg?" he asked.

She stared at him for a moment, "Yes. And you?"

"Yeah," Harry said awkwardly, thinking of how his father had helped him so much during these tasks. He wouldn't be able to do anything without him, and Dora, and all of his friends.

Fleur seemed to know exactly what he was thinking, "Everyone gets 'elp on zese tings, 'Arry. You don't have to feel guilty."

"Do you have a date to the ball now, Fluer?" he asked, not at all sure why he was speaking. What did he think would happen- that she would go with _him_? He was already taking Parvati. Stupid. And he didn't even think he could blame the veela thing, because surely his Occlumency was better than that when she wasn't even trying to charm someone?

"Yes. A- quidditch captain, from ze- Ravenclaw, I believe 'ee was saying over and over? He seems a bit boring, but cute enough, and 'ee said yes, and I deed not wish to be alone for ze opening dance. Do _you_ have a partner, 'Arry Potter?"

"Yeah, I do. A girl from my year, Parvati."

"So you were not asking _me_ zen?" she said, teasingly. "I should hope not, if you already have anozzer date. Parvati? She would be one of ze pretty Indian girls, yes? Not ze little red 'ead who watches you?"

"I- Ginny doesn't watch me. She's just a friend. And my best friend's little sister. And anyway, I think she's seeing someone," he said, though, did he think that? She was only thirteen. But there was Michael Corner around her a lot, and the times when he was sure she and Draco were flirting.

"Ah, but zere ez more zan one red-ead girl at 'Ogwarts, and you knew who I was talking about, so you know she _does_ watch you. Save a dance or two for me, 'Arry. I am beginning to tink that it eez a pity zat you are not a bit older," Fleur said, the older girl walking away before Harry could think of a response.

*****Severus*****

It was stupid, completely ridiculous of him to be nervous, but he still hadn't asked her yet. Ron Weasley and his son could ask girls to the silly Yule Ball, but he, a grown adult, couldn't ask a witch that he had been seeing for what- well over two years now? He was even certain that she would say yes. She was almost certainly even expecting it. They were planning on going over to her parents for Christmas lunch instead of dinner as they did the year before, to allow them all time before the ball that evening.

But Severus hadn't actually asked Dora to go with him, hadn't talked about the ball at all. But staff were allowed to bring a guest, though most professors were unattached. The meddling old fool Albus had even mentioned that it would be nice to see "Miss Tonks" again after a few years. But Severus hadn't asked her yet. He knew she was expecting it. She had taken to dropping by more frequently and unexpectedly. She was there now, seated on just the other side of his sofa, flipping through a magazine, legs stretched towards him, her cold, bare feet pressed against his thigh… and he hadn't said anything.

"Will you- accompany me to the Yule Ball?" he managed. That sounded awful, and not in the least romantic, but at least it was out there.

Dora brought her magazine down a bit so he could see her smiling eyes, "Come to my place at seven. I'll be ready. We'll have just a drink or two, and be ready and in the Great Hall for your lurking duties before the students arrive. And my dress is yellow-gold with black trim."

"You already have a dress?"

"Well I didn't want to wait much longer, did I?" she asked. Even without seeing her mouth, Severus could tell she was smirking at him.

*****Harry*****

As December went on, Harry noticed Ron acting exceedingly nervous. Harry thought it was because he still didn't have a date to the dance, but when he asked, Ron said he was going with one of Ginny's third year friends, a Ravenclaw who lived near them at Ottery St Catchpole.

"I'm going with Luna Lovegood. She used to come around the Burrow a lot, especially the summer before I was a first year. Her- mum had just died, and I don't think her father was much up to looking after anyone after that. She seems better now though, if er- you can say that someone can get better from that. But she was always a weird kid, loved talking to the gnomes. Should be fun though."

Then, when they had entered the common room together, instead of sitting in the armchairs by Hermione, Ron directed Harry over to the tables, even though Hermione and Ron had been on fine terms in the last week, after the ball invitation incident. Ron still hadn't asked who Hermione was going with, so neither had Harry. Harry went ahead and got his supplies out, because there was a charms essay he needed to finish. He had only just figured out what he had been writing when he last stopped when Ron said, "I'm really going to do it this time," and stood and briskly walked over to where Hermione was sitting.

"Hermione, I want to ask you to go to Hogsmeade with me, the next Hogsmeade weekend. Will you?" Ron asked, hands gripped white-knuckled tightly together in front of him.

"Ron, we always go to Hogsmeade together, and besides, there isn't another Hogsmeade weekend until next term," Hermione said, though she was starting to blush, and Harry was sure he saw a smile, from where he watched at a nearby table, no longer remembering the charms essay in front of him.

"I mean just us. Maybe we could meet up with other people at some point at the Three Broomsticks for butterbeer maybe, but I'm asking for the rest of the time it to be just us. I have a bit of an outline planned, but we could go to whatever stores you wanted. And I know it's not until next term. It's January 14th, to be exact, but I wanted to make sure to ask you first, before anyone else did. And then, if you say yes, and if the day goes well, then on January 14th, I plan on asking you to the next one, which is on Marth 4th. But if you said yes, maybe only half the day on that one, so we could hang out with the others some too. And when I asked you to the ball, I didn't mean it like it sounded. I was just nervous and scared that you'd say no," Ron admitted everything.

"I'd love to go to Hogsmeade with you, Ron," Hermione finally said.

"And I wanted to let you know that I'm going to the Yule Ball with a third year Ravenclaw I knew growing up- but just as a friend so that she can go to the ball, and it doesn't mean anything like that, and she knows that," Ron stammered out.

"Thank you, Ron. That's nice of you," she said, turning back to her book. Ron had a large smile on his face, and sat down beside her, grabbing one of her other textbooks and opening it, not bothering to go back to his own books, which were still on the table by Harry. Harry watched them for several minutes and noticed that neither of them had turned a page.

 **A/N: Another chapter down! A mostly Harry and friends chapter, but I thought Severus letting Tonks warm her feet on him was adorable imagery. It's one of my personal signs of love- you don't put up with warming someone's frigid feet on you unless you really love them. Of course, Severus may not be sentimental about it. Please, let me know what you think about the chapter!**

 **I recently got a review that mentioned that they read my story at a recommendation of a friend, and that made me so surprised and happy. Thank you especially to anyone who has shared my story with anyone- not that you have to or anything. I've honestly never shared my fanfiction with anyone I know in real life, even though I spend a large part of my free time writing. But maybe I will soon.**


	73. Chapter 73 Yule

Chapter 73- Yule

*****Severus*****

Severus stared at the ministry document declaring that Harry James Potter intended to change his name to Harry Potter Snape. The name 'Potter' hadn't bothered him in for some time, but seeing Harry Snape on the page... Harry had already unwrapped his presents and been graciously excited about them, or at least appeared so, even the books. But this was- more than just a Christmas present. And all it needed was Severus's signature.

"Are you sure this is what you want to do, Harry? It is _your_ name, your decision to make."

"Yeah, I'd like to," the boy smiled. "Is it okay that I left the name Potter there? I thought about leaving it off, but I didn't know what to make my middle name, and I didn't really want to make one up, and it didn't feel right either way and... I don't know," the boy shrugged, but he'd obviously given it considerable thought.

"Harry, it's a good name. I'd love nothing more than to sign that paper, if you want me to. I just don't want it to be something that you do just because _I_ want you to." _Harry Snape._

"I _want_ my surname to be Snape, Dad. I've thought about it for a long time but I didn't want to ask at first, and then it seemed like I should have done it already and then I thought it would a good Christmas gift because- well, you're really hard to plan for," Harry said.

Severus retrieved a quill and signed the page with slightly trembling hands.

Harry's arms were around him as soon as he set down the quill. The child had grown so much in the last years. His head now cleared Severus's shoulder as they embraced. He was more of a young man than a child, even if Severus hadn't had nearly enough years of Harry being just a boy. _Those years they could have had._ And Harry really _wanted_ to be Severus's son. He had been for years of course, even in the eyes of the Ministry, but Severus hadn't actually presumed to mention an official change of name. And eventually, he just didn't think about it anymore. But... Harry Snape did sound very nice. And Harry Potter Snape had a... fitting sound quality to it.

"And now I'm sure you want to see your friends. Thank you for our Christmas morning."

"It's my favourite family tradition," Harry said before scampering back to his room to change out of dressing gown and slippers and into his clothes for the day.

They had _family_ _traditions_.

There was no reason to be overly emotional. And Harry would be back shortly for their visit to the Tonks' house, with Draco as well, if the boy was still up for it. Severus was certain he would be, as eager as the child had been to meet Black. Though, like Harry, Draco wasn't really a child anymore either.

*****Harry****

This Christmas was remarkably different than his others at the castle because there was so much to do and so many people around. And everyone was talking about the Yule Ball this evening. Harry was trying _not_ to think about it.

Harry tried not to gorge himself on the sweets that he and Ron had been given, knowing he was going to have Christmas dinner shortly, but everything Mrs. Weasley made was so delicious that even Hermione ate some of the fudge.

"I've gotta go," Harry said when he needed to be down in the dungeons in ten minutes. He knew they were going to go play in the snow without him, but he was going to have a good time too.

Hermione and Ron had been- pretty normal considering Ron had asked her to Hogsmeade, and she'd said yes, but today she was going to the Yule Ball with… some unknown person… Ron would sort of stare at her sometimes, and offer to carry her stuff. She usually let him carry some because she always seem to have more than just the required number of books with her, and she still had more classes than they did. But they didn't really act different. Life was easier when they were twelve.

"Hey," Harry greeted Draco, who was already with Harry's dad and Dora. The boy had his hair slicked back like he hadn't seen Draco do in over a year, and he was wearing dress robes. "You're already dressed for tonight?" he asked.

"No, I have different dress robes for the ball," Draco said, nose scrunched momentarily.

"Dora, should I change into dress robes?" Harry asked.

"Harry, these are the people who raised _me_. You could tell them you were a naturist now and wear nothing at all, and they wouldn't care. Except don't do that, because I'm pretty sure Mum's present is some sort of clothing."

"Okay, I won't," Harry grinned.

*****Draco*****

It was nice. Aunt Andromeda hugged him and said how glad she was that he was here. Ted Tonks shook his hand and said the same. And that Draco could call him Uncle Ted, or Ted or 'Hey you'. The man reminded him strongly of Tonks- Dora, he meant, because everyone seemed to call her Dora now.

Presents were first, and Draco had several- from Uncle Severus, Harry, Tonks, and his aunt and- uncle. He supposed he really was growing up, because he cared more that they had given him something than about what it actually was (though the dragon statue from Dora was really great- he had sort of been collecting dragon statues since he was a kid). And he hoped that everyone here and back at the castle liked his gifts. The book for Hermione, the Hollyhead Harpies shirt he had gotten for Ginny. He'd even sent sweets to Neville Longbottom, Colin Creevey, and Ronald Weasley- he hadn't even left out _Weasley_. That was far too many Gryffindors on his list, and some of them had gotten far more consideration that the exchanges among Slytherins in his own year. He'd have to avoid the Gryffindors for some time so they couldn't say anything about it. And he wouldn't know what Laura thought of her Falcons pin until she was back at the castle. Because he hadn't asked her to the ball because that would just be weird, probably.

After presents, then they were all going to watch a "movie" or "film" (not camera film) which everyone else was familiar with and seemed to use the terms interchangeably- which took Draco longer to determine than he'd like to admit. Ted explained was like a bit like moving photographs that talked- so maybe it _was_ like camera film, Draco decided. _Were cameras muggle inventions just like chess?_

Dora took up the conversation, " _I_ wanted to watch _Die Hard_ , but Mum said it was too violent and wasn't a Christmas movie. I mean, it's set at Christmas, Christmas trees everywhere, what more do you want? And the villain's so adorable with that fake German accent when the actor's clearly British. Why couldn't they have just had a British villain? Do those American Hollywood writers think that British people aren't as evil as German people? How racist! But it's a great movie, really great." Draco listened to this rant not knowing what this "Hollywood" was or how they were supposed to see actors without going to a play, until Ted Tonks started the "telly"- another word Draco hadn't known, though he thought that Ron might have mentioned it from his Muggle Studies class.

The film they did watch was fascinating. Draco decided that muggles could have easily made moving photographs if they wanted to, but had worked on this instead. The film was called A Christmas Carol and was about… a bitter old man who was shown a bunch of things by ghosts, and then he changed by the end. It was… alarming at times, but very good.

"Draco? Can you help me bring in the hot chocolate?" Aunt Andromeda asked when the movie was over. Draco knew that she could easily levitate them all but followed her anyway.

"How's your mother?" she asked softly.

She cared enough that Draco found himself answering honestly. "We fight sometimes and she cries. _They_ fight sometimes and she yells. They both yell."

"My Cissy is strong. And a very talented witch, no matter how she might act sometimes. She'll be fine," his- aunt said. But she looked worried, because she cared. "I gave her that nickname, when she was born. 'Sissy Cissy' or 'Sister Cissy'.

"I didn't know that," Draco said. But he'd also never heard anyone call his mother "Cissy". But he'd never met his other aunt, and when he met Sirius, they didn't talk about family except Aunt Andromeda, her husband, and Tonks- Dora.

"Draco, I don't want to keep you long, and I know you don't know us well at all… But Ted and I have talked a lot about it and- if you ever need or want a place to be, we have an empty bedroom that could be yours. You know how to floo over, and you are _always_ welcome. Whether it's just for a night, or for until you're ready to live on your own like our Dora does now.

That was… incredible for a person he had never met to offer.

"Thank you," he said, as strongly as I could. "I- think I'm okay right now- but. I won't forget it." He really wouldn't. He- had thought about it- after the World Cup… He'd thought about flooing to Uncle Severus's rooms and asking to stay. He'd said Draco could any time he didn't feel safe… but he hadn't really felt unsafe for himself just… out of place. And that would put Uncle Severus in an impossible position, and his father had a lot of sway with the Governors of the Board- even after the Chamber of Secrets thing. But Aunt Andromeda was offering. "Thank you."

"Of course," his aunt said, giving him a hug that felt just like his mothers'. His mother had tried to hug him a few months ago, before he got on the train, but Draco hadn't let her. There weren't tears in his eyes now, _definitely not_.

*****Severus*****

Severus took a sip of whiskey straight from the bottle before taking a step into the fireplace. No reason to be nervous at all, he kept telling himself. He just saw her a few hours ago. This was no different, he told himself.

She was in the room when he flooed in, but hadn't even noticed him. She was stunning, hopping around trying to get her shoe on, the black heels that he had gotten her three years ago now, he noticed.

She fell onto the couch, the slimmer cut of her robes tangling in her legs. There was a slit in the side of the robe that went far above her knees, which Severus didn't think had become part of wizarding fashion. Dora was not one that would conform to any standard she didn't like. Severus swallowed hard as she settled herself and looked up to him with a smile. She looked elegant, and was her "normal" self, which he didn't expect anything different by now. The top half of the garment was fitted, but sleeves hung loose and draping. The modest neckline still showing more than was usually on display in robes.

"Do I look okay?" she asked, standing up now carefully. He'd have to hold her closely the entire evening to make sure that she didn't fall, but he didn't think either of them would mind that.

"Beautiful," Severus admired. He stared at her smiling, shiny lips. She'd even put something on them, which was rare for her. Severus wondered if it would stay on when they kissed. He'd have to find out.

*****Harry*****

Harry and Parvati left with Ron before Hermione was ready. Ron was meeting his date from Ravenclaw in the Entrance Hall like the other pairs from different houses. The dragon or the lake were still sounding better than this, but surely it couldn't be as hard for him as for Ron, and his friend was coping alright.

There would be dinner first, Harry knew. Dinner would be easy. But Harry couldn't even get past the opening of the event without surprise. Professor McGonagall gathered all of the Champions and their partners for a big entrance. All of the other pairs looked so elegant- Fleur, Cho, and _Hermione_ \- wow, Hermione had been a shock. She looked… so beautiful. Harry hadn't really noticed before, which made him feel like a bit of an oaf, but in that dress with her hair like that… As they walked in, Harry looked around and saw that Ron was even more impressed, staring at her so intently that Harry hoped that Luna really knew that Ron was going with her just as friends.

The Champions went over to a table with the judges. The five judges and… Percy Weasley? Percy was sitting at the end of the row of judges, next to Mr. Crouch. Ludo Bagman was on Crouch's other side, then the three head of schools, whom Bagman was already chatting up.

"Hello Percy," Harry greeted. "And Mr. Crouch," Harry greeted Percy's boss.

Mr. Crouch just nodded.

"Brilliant work with the dragon, Harry," Percy jumped in. "I was lucky enough to be able to watch- being there with Mr. Crouch, you know. Or perhaps you didn't know, as we didn't get a chance to speak. Rather busy, weren't you? It has been _fascinating_ to be a part of such a large, international undertaking. Far larger in spectrum and importance to the Quidditch World Cup, I would say, wouldn't you, Harry? It must be equally fascinating to see it from your perspective. Oh, it makes me wish I were back at Hogwarts. Oh, I don't know if I would have entered myself- perhaps, you know, the Gryffindor spirit would get me. But the opportunities for cultural change in this formative time in your life!"

"Yeah, it's- pretty interesting," Harry agreed. "So you've been- doing a lot with the tournament lately, Percy?" Harry asked, regretting it immediately, but not knowing what else to say.

"Weasley has been invaluable help. I have been… rather ill lately. I- wouldn't be here at all, except I wouldn't miss an opportunity to be at Hogwarts," he explained as he dug through his robes. "Potions for my illness," he said as he took a gulp from the flask he pulled out before putting it back in his robes.

Percy was positively basking in the compliment. Harry didn't really know what to make of Mr. Crouch. A few months ago, he didn't even know Percy's name, and now he was calling him invaluable. He was apparently sick a lot, but stress can do that to a person, and from what Harry had heard, Mr. Crouch was under a lot of that. He had always seemed strange, at the World Cup, and more so at Sirius's trial.

"Have you figured out the egg yet?" the man asked.

"Wha- oh, yes, sir. I've got a plan for the second task and have been practicing," Harry said. Even if he didn't really figure it out himself- or make the plan himself. This was a really long night already.

Harry was saved from further conversation by Dumbledore ordering food from his plate and it appearing before the Headmaster. Everyone around them started to do the same. Harry wondered how much extra work this was on Milly and the rest of the house elves. And they had to have all sorts of foreign dishes that the visitors might want, though they had been providing some of those since the Durmstrang and Beauxbatons students arrived. It seemed like a tremendous amount of work, but every house elf that Harry had met loved working at Hogwarts, so maybe they thought it was an interesting challenge instead of doing the same thing every day.

There were conversations all around him, between the judges and the other pairs, but Harry simply enjoyed the food- and wondered if he could order something else for seconds. Too soon, Dumbledore moved all of the small tables, creating a large, empty space- for the dancing that Harry hadn't looked forward to.

But, Harry still got excited with everyone else when the Weird Sisters trooped up to the new stage. Harry was so interested in their playing that he didn't mind when Parvati dragged him over to where the other Champions were gathering for their first dance. Harry didn't think Parvati had said anything all evening, until she told them that it was time to dance, but maybe she was as nervous as he was. Lavender did usually do more of the talking between them. Or maybe he was doing a poor job of finding things she liked to talk about.

Harry was just glad that he managed not to step on Parvati's feet. She was good enough at dancing, better than he was. But Fleur moved around so perfectly that he would almost believe she could fly. She couldn't fly like a full veela could, could she? He wondered if she'd had dancing lessons.

 _Parvati_ , he was supposed to be looking at Parvati… Harry remembered when she stepped on his foot. Harry didn't _think_ it was on purpose to get his attention, because she wasn't even looking at him when he turned back. But either way, it was probably his fault.

She seemed to enjoy being one of the only four couples on the dance floor, the entire hall watching them. She looked around the room with a wide smile, showing her very white teeth.

Harry was relieved when others joined them. Ginny and Neville were dancing nearby. Ron and Luna were- well, Luna was doing something that was very graceful in its own way. Ron didn't seem to know what to do near her though when she was waving her arms around, looking up at the starry ceiling.

And his dad. Dora had his father dancing, and they were both pretty good. Harry was surprised that he hadn't seen them before, but he hadn't really expected Dora to be there. She looked beautiful, and very happy. His dad was smiling too, and they were talking.

And then Harry stepped on Parvati's foot, so he figured that he needed to pay better attention.

Harry was just _about_ to try to make an escape to the drink table he spotted. Offering to get her a butterbeer was polite, right? When a faster song that he recognized from their concert started.

"I know this one!" Harry shouted.

And soon all of the couples became more of a mass of people jumping around and screaming, singing the lyrics if they knew them, basically just like the concert that Harry went to. Harry was certain Dora was having a good time, and hoped his father was too. When Harry looked around a few songs later, when a slow song had started again, Parvati wasn't there.

Scanning the crowds shuffling around to tables or back to partners to dance, Harry saw her dancing very well with Draco. Or maybe she just looked like she was dancing better because she had a better partner. Oh well, Harry thought, and started looking for a place to sit. Pairs that came together didn't always dance together after the first song, Harry understood. Even couples who were dating would dance with some other people, and he and Parvati weren't dating. He spotted Fleur dancing with a boy from Durmstrang, and Ginny dancing wildly with one of the twins- Fred, Harry thought, but it was hard to tell when they were moving around like that.

Ready to sit down and rest his feet anyway, Harry grabbed a butterbeer and found a seat by Neville and Dean. They were mostly looking at the dancing pairs, not saying anything.

"Ginny looks like she's having fun with her brother," Harry said eventually to Neville.

"Yeah," Dean responded instead. And the other boy did seem to be watching Ginny. "But now she's dancing with that Ravenclaw bloke, Michael Corner. Never liked him," Dean commented, and he sounded… jealous? Was _everyone_ interested in Ginny suddenly?

"I'm a terrible dancer," Neville said easily. "But Ginny was nice about it. She looks so happy being here. And the food was great. I'm going to go thank the kitchen later. The elves love that, plus, that's a great way to get leftovers of your favourites. We ate with Ron and Luna. Luna's really nice. I'd never talked to her much before, but she had so much interesting to say. And she grows a lot of plants at home, though she's more interested in magical creatures. It made me wish I could take Creatures class with her."

Harry was glad to just listen to Neville talk and sip his butterbeer.

"Ginny's dancing with _Malfoy_ now. Wouldn't his family hate that? I mean, she's a pureblood but- isn't there like, some rivalry?" Dean asked.

"I don't think Draco cares as much what his father thinks these days," Harry said. He had been looking at his father and Dora instead. They looked so happy. Cho and Cedric looked really happy too. Most of the other students had danced with a lot of people by then, but not them.

But since Draco wasn't dancing with Parvati anymore, after two songs, Harry figured he'd better ask her to dance again. If he was lucky, there would be another fast song soon, because those were more fun. The Weird Sisters' concert certainly hadn't had this many slow songs.

"May I have this dance?" Harry asked Parvati. He wouldn't blame her if she said no. He was a bad dancer, and he'd been a terrible date, occupied with too many thoughts, some- most- of them about other girls. And he'd mostly only asked Parvati to begin with because she was around and he sort of knew her… and she was pretty… which wasn't a great start.

But they danced easily to the slow song, and the faster one that came after it. Harry didn't lose Parvati this time, and she smiled at him a lot. He must have been getting better at it, because there was no stepping on toes. And it was sort of nice that talking wasn't really needed with the loud music, but Harry thought they were both having a really good time.

"Harry, as charming as you are, I'd like my date back," Draco Malfoy drawled. "At one song I wasn't going to say anything. I even grabbed a dance from Victor Krum's date, but after you've had two in a row with my partner, a man might be accused of neglecting the lady he came with." Krum's date? Hermione had danced with Draco? He'd danced with Ginny _and_ Hermione?

"What? I came with Parvati," Harry replied before he felt a slap across his face. She stormed away from him to stand behind Draco- _oh no._

"And you were just dancing with Padma," Draco said, which Harry had just figured out himself, and felt like an idiot for it. He had- never had trouble telling them apart before… but he hadn't really had class with the Ravenclaws and… even in the DA, they worked with different people, Parvati mostly with Gryffindors, and Padma mostly with Ravenclaws and Slytherins… That didn't make this any better when Harry had been at the same school as both girls for three and a half years.

"And I _will_ tell my sister about this. Don't bother trying to speak with her again tonight. Are you coming, Draco?" the Ravenclaw twin asked primly. And they'd… actually been having a good time.

"Of course, Padma," he replied. "Sorry, mate," he said with a not very well contained smirk. Harry couldn't blame him.

Embarrassed, Harry went in search of his friends, hoping to avoid his date… perhaps for the rest of the night. Was it too early to just leave? Seeing a table with Ron, he made for it gratefully. He was surprised to see Victor Krum rise from the table, stretch out a hand, and shake Ron's. Then the older wizard left, probably to find Hermione.

Harry sat down in the seat Krum had vacated. There was no one else at the table, so at least they could talk. Harry hadn't seen Neville or Dean sitting anymore- one of them was probably dancing with Ginny.

"So- you shook Victor's hand?" Harry asked. It was not exactly what he expected of his friend.

"He heard that I had asked Hermione out to Hogsmeade and that she had said yes. He said he wouldn't stop going after her, but 'respected my efforts,'" Ron explained.

"And- you're handling this well?" Harry asked, cautiously. He noticed on the other side of the room that Parvati was dancing with who Harry thought was a Beauxbatons boy next to Draco and Padma. At least she seemed happy, so he didn't ruin her night entirely- or Padma's.

"The way I see it, he'll be gone after this year, and I'll still be around, so I'll at least have a chance. I shouldn't be surprised that other blokes would notice her- she's brilliant and wonderful. _And_ I can say that I knew one of the greatest professional quidditch players of the generation, and even that he was jealous of _me_. And he'll be _thousands_ of kilometers away from Hermione." Ron finished looking at his butterbeer rather than at Harry. "And she's going with _me_ to Hogsmeade in three weeks, so I'm trying to look mature, especially when she might see," he said, taking another large gulp of his drink. "It's difficult because to be honest, I want to go hide in the dorm and not come out until tomorrow- or the next day. Or I'd like to take a swing at Krum, even though I know he could win in a fist fight or a duel, and Hermione would hate that."

"And I know I've been a terrible date for Luna, but thankfully, she doesn't seem to care. I'm glad I didn't come with Lavender, or she'd be a nightmare." Harry wondered if Ron had seen Draco dancing with Hermione, but he hoped Ron had been too busy talking with Krum, and Harry wasn't going to share that strange bit of gossip, when Ron was already working so hard to deal with Hermione coming here with Krum. Harry's eyes drifted over to the oddly dressed Ravenclaw blond girl, Luna Lovegood. Harry knew she was Ginny's friend and had sometimes been to their DA meetings. Currently, she dancing by herself on the floor to some rhythm than Harry was certain wasn't part of the music.

"May I have a dance?" Fleur asked, appearing at his side. "A show of- what eez eet zey keep saying- International unity?"

"Of course," Harry said, hoping Ron wouldn't mind too much being left alone. He wasn't going to say no to the French champion. He thought he heard Ron mutter that he'd go dance find Luna.

"Where eez your pretty partner?" Fleur asked Harry as they began to dance on the floor, a mercifully slow song so they could mostly just sway around aimlessly like most of the other pairs on the floor.

"Dancing with a boy from Beauxbatons now I think. I- er- haven't really seen her since I danced two songs with her twin sister not realizing it wasn't her. So, I'm- apparently really bad at this," Harry joked at his own expense.

"Zey are dressed een different colours, and wearing zer hair een different ways," Fleur pointed out with a laugh.

Harry shrugged, "I guess I just didn't notice."

"Don't look down," Fleur instructed. "What colour am I wearing?"

"Silver-grey," Harry said quietly, thinking that it looked good on her. He hadn't seen her outside of the Beauxbatons uniform before, and it definitely fit nicer.

"See- you are observant. And ze pretty Asian girl that Cedric brought?"

"Er- white?"

"Correct again, but you shouldn't be looking at anozzer man's date."

"I didn't mean- And you're another man's date, and you didn't complain."

Fleur had a beautiful smile that really lit up her face, "Yes, but I don't care about zis Roger. But Cedric seems to care for ze pretty Asian girl. But now zere is only dancing," Fleur instructed.

*****Severus*****

"Come on, let's give Harry some privacy," Dora said, pulling him towards the door, when previously she had been quite enjoying herself near the band, Severus in tow.

"Miss Patil just _slapped_ Harry," Severus protested. That was entirely not alright, worthy of point deduction and detention. He hadn't even realized that Harry spent much time with either Patil sister, but now to be attending the ball with one, and being slapped by the other… which might have been part of the problem upon consideration.

"And you can find out the story later and do something then _if_ you need to," Dora reasoned. "Right now, don't embarrass him worse. He's fine over there talking to Ron. And oooh, now to the pretty French champion. Now let's _go_ ," she insisted.

Severus did not make more protests as Dora led him onto the grounds, decorated more elaborately and- romantically, he supposed, than they usually were for Christmas. Rosebushes that hadn't previously existed were lit up with hundreds of relatively well behaved fairies. And there was the strange Father Christmas and his reindeer statue; Father Christmas wasn't part of Severus's childhood for as long as he could remember, but he supposed it did all seem more believable in a magical home.

They walked along a path of rose bushes.

"Miss Fawcett and Mister Summers, return to the castle immediately," Severus instructed the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff sixth years he spotted halfway behind a bush. The same two that had tried to cross the age line in October. So they were in it together then, or bonded over their ridiculous predicament. It mattered not to him.

"Sorry, Professor," Miss Fawcett squeaked. She should be happy that she had more than a week before having to face him in class again.

"Hi, Tonks, you look great- er sorry, Professor," Summers stammered, and then went after Miss Fawcett who was already halfway to the Great Hall. Severus didn't have to deal with that one any longer.

"Thanks, Troy," Dora said, and then to Severus, "Aww, he was just a little kid when I left, wouldn't have recognized him if you hadn't said his name. What house is the girl from?"

"Ravenclaw," Severus said. He hadn't even threatened to take points or give detention. But he already had Weasley happily scrubbing cauldrons and dicing ingredients. And they were relatively harmless.

"Well that's cute. And well done freeing up this spot," Dora said, leading Severus off the path where the sixth years had been hiding.

It was… an enticing offer with her grin. He hadn't yet tested her lip colour. And he would at least make sure that they were truly concealed, unlike the little miscreants.

 **A/N: In case you didn't know, Die Hard, the movie Dora wanted to watch, is a critically acclaimed 1988 action film set around Christmas, and most importantly, Alan Rickman is the main villain. It was also his first feature film.**

 **And a reminder that they are just teenagers and flirting does not equal a life-long commitment. Thank you all so much for your support in this crazy journey with me. I have something that I really want to share, but I can't yet.**


	74. Chapter 74 Gringotts

Chapter 74– Gringotts

*****Severus*****

Holding a ball attended by the majority of castle inhabitants on Christmas Day was one of Albus's worst ideas.

Even if Severus had, admittedly, rather enjoyed his evening with Dora.

Of course, he could have equally enjoyed it the week _before_ Christmas instead. Nearly all students fourth year and above- and some third years as well who had managed to be invited- had elected to stay over the holiday. This meant that for _two weeks_ , the castle was filled with hundreds of teenagers with no classes and nothing of value to occupy their little minds. This only encouraged poor behavior, and was that Albus's problem? No, it was Severus's, and that of the other heads of houses. Thought he had only heard of minor mischief, and none from his house.

Many of his students' parents had asked for their offspring to floo home on Boxing Day to spend the last of the holidays with family, which Severus had agreed to weeks ago readily- it got them out of his way, and would be good for the children. And he now held sympathy for parents without their children for months at a time, even if some children were worthier of being missed than others.

And so, Severus had spent the morning setting up the floo in his office- which he never used- for outbound travel and sending dozens of his students away to spend just over a week at their homes before they would again return to the castle. And his students didn't know or care that Severus had much more important matters that he needed to attend to.

Severus had recently procured the document that he had been looking for, Belatrix Lestrange's Last Will and Testament. Per the Ministry's orders, prisoners sentenced to life in Azkaban were declared dead for inheritance purposes, so the rightful owners of their property would be the beneficiaries named in the document. Goblins didn't seek out opportunities to spend more time with wizards, but they would follow a legal document handed to them, especially when they were in no worse of a financial position for doing so.

It seemed that this was yet another facet the Ministry overlooked for Sirius Black, along with his lack of a trial. Though, if Severus had considered that Harry might have been named as an inheritor, Severus still wouldn't have wanted to pursue his son owning anything that had belonged to Black, had he thought of it years earlier.

Severus stared again at the names for the legal heirs of the Belatrix and Rodolphus Lestrange estate, Rabastan Lestrange, followed by Draco Malfoy. It wasn't surprising really, to follow the tradition of inheritance by a male heir. Both Lestrange brothers were childless, and as Rabastan was also serving a life sentence in Azkaban with his brother and sister-in-law, he wouldn't be an issue. _May they all rot for the rest of their miserable lives._

Severus was waiting for one more student to visit him that morning.

"You wanted to see me, Professor?" Draco asked, coming into his office.

Draco. He was so different than when the boy first came to Hogwarts, or they would be having an entirely different conversation. He wouldn't have imagined it, the boy interested in muggle inventions, friends with Severus's son.

"Yes, Draco, but perhaps _Uncle_ is more appropriate given the conversation I have in mind, at the end of which, I will ask _you_ for a favor."

"Okay, Uncle Severus," the boy agreed curiously. He trusted Severus.

"You do not wish to go home for the remainder of the holidays. May I ask why that is, Draco?" Severus asked, starting with an easy question.

"Because I don't want to go to Malfoy Manor," Draco said, staring at his feet. He didn't even call it home.

"I know, Draco. Has it become worse recently in particular?" Severus asked. He'd step in if he had to.

"I'm certain that my father was one of the ones terrorizing those muggles at the World Cup," Draco said, "And I don't- want to be like that."

 _Good_. "That is very good Draco," he said, raising his left sleeve to reveal the Dark Mark. "Your father has the same mark. Have you seen it?"

Draco shook his head, "I know about it, but he keeps it covered well," Draco said quietly.

"Draco, I accepted this mark in a very dark time in my life that I regret immensely. I was only a few years older than you, and I had doubts immediately. However, despite my feelings, I was a loyal Death Eater for almost two years until I realized that the man I used to call _Dark Lord_ cared nothing for me or for any of his followers. He cared only for power, and we were mere instruments toward those ends. He was performing evil deeds that I could no longer stomach, particularly the planned death of Harry's mother," Severus said, trusting Draco with that much.

Draco nodded. The hardest part was next.

"I was first brought to the man by your father. He was a few years my senior and already in the man's service. This mark cannot be taken and would not be given against a person's will. I say this in case you had any lingering beliefs that your father was Imperiused or otherwise compelled against his will."

"I know he wasn't. I've known that my father was an evil man since my second year. His Death Eater uniform is displayed proudly under the drawing room floor with the other dark objects. If he was even ashamed of it afterwards, he'd have destroyed it a decade ago."

"For years, the Dark Mark has been hardly visible, but it has become darker since the summer, and I can almost _feel_ my old master returning to strength. Your father must feel it now as well. Did you know that he was not truly gone, Draco? In fact, I have reason to believe that he has now returned to some rudimentary physical form."

"But- how is he not- dead?" the boy asked.

"The man, for he was truly just a man, a half-blood by the name of Tom Riddle, was terrified of death, perhaps fearing the retribution that awaited him for his evil deeds. He made many dark safe-guards against death, artifacts that would tie pieces of his soul to this world. It is a particularly dark magic that made him unable to truly be killed until each artifact has been destroyed. With some help, I have been tracking these artifacts and destroying them, Draco. I do not want Tom Riddle to return to power," Severus said, explaining the horcruxes in every way except saying the word.

"So- if you destroy all of them, he isn't tied here anymore? His soul? Would it just disappear?" Draco asked slowly. The young man before him had always been bright.

"Perhaps it would have at some point. I do not know. But as I said, he now has physical form, a body tying the piece of his soul that was left to this world. I believe that piece too must be killed if _we_ want him to be gone, as I do."

"I do- want him to be dead too. Did you want to ask me about that? Can I do something?" Draco asked firmly. The intelligent, brave young man.

"One of these artifacts was given to your father for safe-keeping, the diary. However, your father was at most his second most trusted follower. I believe that if one was given to your father, one must also have been given to your Aunt Bellatrix, and I must retrieve it," Severus explained.

"But- how can I help?" the boy asked. "I was just a baby when she went to prison. I don't even know where her house is," Draco said.

"I have done some research, and there is no Lestrange Manor. Your parents liquidated it years ago and moved all funds and valuables to the Lestrange vault in Gringotts, taking as large of a percentage as allowed in their positions as custodians of the estate. I believe that the artifact I need is in that vault, behind Gringotts's exceptional security. However," Severus said, holding up the document he had been looking at, "You are the named heir and have access to the vault. In fact, everything in that vault legally belongs to you, and I am told that the goblins will honour that. So, Draco, I am asking for your assistance in finding a key piece to finally destroying a man who has caused so much suffering. Will you help me?"

"What if- I said no?" the boy asked, but Severus knew already that he wouldn't.

"Then I would be very disappointed, but I would have to obliviate you, replacing this time with a banal conversation of asking how your holidays went. As I became more desperate, I might seek you out again with more force. I would not wish to do that, Draco, but this is important. However, I believe you will agree."

"I'll help you," Draco confirmed, with a small smile.

"Excellent. We shall leave for Gringotts immediately."

The outing went more smoothly than expected. Draco handled himself with dignity that few fourteen-year-olds possess. A new key had to be made, which Gringotts frowned upon, but had allowed once the Will was presented and the basic situation was explained- that Draco Malfoy was the heir of the Lestrange vault while the previous owners served a life sentence in Azkaban and he wished to visit his vault today in the company of his godfather. Goblins were a secretive group, so Severus had reasonable assurance that the outing would not be shared with Draco's parents, as they had no further legal claim to the contents of the vault. Severus would deal with repercussions if they arose at a later time.

One long, unpleasant cart ride later, and they were outside the Lestrange vault, deep under Gringotts. Protections were extensive this deep, and Severus was glad that he had not been forced to attempt a robbery.

"Let me disable the protections," the goblin sneered, "Since the _legal heir_ is visiting." The goblin evidently didn't think much of them, but he would assist them as instructed.

"Protections?" Draco asked.

"The former owners asked for special protections, should anyone enter the vault. Gemino and Flagrante curses so that if any invader were to touch any contents of the vault, it would burn them and duplicate, burying and searing the intruder from their own greed. The copies are worthless, of course, and dissipate in time, but not until years after the thief would be dead. It is a specialty of mine, actually. Now removed, temporarily, of course," the goblin clarified.

"Can- my godfather come with me? _Without_ coming to harm." Draco asked.

"If that is your wish. I will wait outside the vault."

Severus and Draco entered the vault. Severus rather disliked dealing with goblins, though admittedly not as much as he disliked many humans, Rita Skeeter and Ludo Bagman came to mind. Harry was brilliant at interacting with nearly anyone.

"What are we looking for?" Draco asked when they were alone. That was something that Severus had not explained.

"Most likely a cup- small, golden, with two handles and the Hufflepuff crest," Severus explained. Draco nodded as they spread out a bit to look. Severus performed his dark detection spells, but there was quite a lot of interference, like there had been in the cave.

It didn't matter. In less than a minute, Severus spotted it, on a higher shelf just out of his reach. It had the same magical signatures. Severus retrieved the dragon hide bag that he had brought for the occasion. "Draco, come here, I've found it," Severus called. Draco was at his side in an instant, visibly relieved. "I am going to retrieve the cup. If I begin acting strangely in the slightest, I need you to stun me and to stay far from cup. You will then need to contact Professor Dumbledore, understood?" Draco nodded solemnly. It was just a precaution, not likely needed. This was the fourth or fifth horcrux created, not likely to resist as much as the diary or ring.

Severus levitated the cup into his sack, cinching the drawstring tight with it inside, mercifully without incident.

"Thank you, Draco. I greatly appreciate all that you have done today, and I am very proud of you," Severus said easily words that he couldn't have said before Harry.

"I don't want to go back," Draco said softly.

"What?" Severus asked. The boy didn't want to return to the castle?

"I don't want to go back to my _family_. Ever. If You-Know-Who is returning, my father will go back to him, if you don't stop it all first, I mean. My father will want me to join when I'm old enough too, and I don't want to. Knowing that I have this money in my own name, I don't need to listen to him anymore. I could get a place- away from them. Maybe I could still see Mother. And- yesterday, Aunt Andromeda said that I could stay with her and- Uncle Ted as long as I wanted to. And now I know I wouldn't even be a financial burden on them."

This was… a life-changing decision for Draco that Severus needed to help him through… while he had a horcrux in his pocket. "Andromeda and Ted are very kind. They would never think of you as a burden," Severus said the most reassuring truth that came to him. "I will assist your decision, Draco, in any way that I can. I haven't- been loyal to your father in some time. I do suggest you take a night to think about it, but before we leave here today will arrange the Lestrange vault closed and all contents moved to a new vault in your name alone," Severus said.

Draco nodded, "Thank you, Uncle Severus."

They took the damned cart ride out of the labyrinth into open air again, and spoke to yet another goblin for too long, before flooing back to his quarters. Draco looked rather dazed through the whole process and hadn't protested when Severus grabbed the boy's hand to take the floo together, even though Draco could have gone through by himself.

"Thank you, Draco," Severus said once in his own rooms, "And I can trust you to keep this to yourself? Harry will be told, but I could not allow your Slytherin friends to find out," Severus said. He trusted Draco, and with everything they had done, he couldn't really obliviate the boy anyway.

"They are acquaintances at best, all just doing what their parents say. I won't tell anyone, Uncle Severus," the boy said. He looked tired, knowing more of the world than a child that age should. Severus patted the child on the head. Here was another fourteen-year-old who, like Harry, had far too many adult matters on his mind. A young man who wanted to make a difference.

"Would you like to destroy it?" Severus asked, bringing out the dragon hide sack. Draco could handle it, Severus now believed.

"Really?" the boy asked.

Severus raised an eyebrow, "Don't you know me well enough to know that I say what I mean?"

"Of course," Draco said, pulling out his wand. The boy had an adequate wand holder, Severus wouldn't have expected any less.

"Not with that," Severus said, placing the cup on the floor and retrieving the sword of Gryffindor.

"Really?" Draco said, examining the blade. At least he saw some humour in it.

"It was the Headmaster's idea to imbue that particular blade with the power, but it needed to be goblin-forged, and those are not so easy to come upon that I could refuse this one," he explained. It hadn't seemed worth the significant financial outlay just to hold a less… gold and ruby instrument.

"So you've been destroying them with Gryffindor's sword?" Draco asked.

"One directly with a basilisk fang, one with this blade. One each were dispatched by Dora and Harry. And now you," Severus listed.

Draco had the sword in a reasonable grip above his left shoulder. "So I just- hit it with the sword? What if I'm not strong enough to cut through it?" he asked.

"It's the basilisk venom that's really needed. But a good, solid strike will help you. The cup will fight, most likely in a mental attack. You must fight it with your Occlumency, and do not stop until you have destroyed the object. Back away if you need a rest, but I suggest hurrying. And I will be here to step in if you need it," Severus reminded him.

There wasn't much to see from Severus's end, appreciatively anticlimactic. Draco struggled, but only for a few seconds before cleaving into the cup with the sword. It doubtless felt longer and more difficult from Draco's perspective, but he did very well.

"Harry told me you were talented at Occlumency," Severus commented. But Severus needed to be sure, given all that the boy knew now.

"I'm decent, sir," Draco answered.

"Continue working with Harry, and we shall work on it together after that. And you must not look your father in the eyes until you are confident, understood? Though Lucius was never as good at the art as he believed himself to be."

"Yes, sir," Draco answered.

"Sleep well, tonight, Draco. You have done admirable work," Severus praised.

"Thank you," Draco departed with a genuine smile.

*****Harry*****

Boxing Day, when at least some of the students remaining at the castle were going home, and others were still sleeping after the Yule Ball, was when Krum agreed to their seeker competition. It was in the cold, early morning just after sunrise, and only the four Hogwarts seekers could be told. Harry wondered if that would last. But after the five of them were inside, and no one else was around, Victor set up some spells that he seemed relatively confident would give them privacy.

Victor held his Firebolt, and Harry his, though he did feel somewhat bad about taking the advantage over the others, he really wanted to compete against Krum. Tiny Laura Murphy clutched a Nimbus 2001, just like each member of the Slytherin team used. Cedric owned a Nimbus 2000, and Cho a Comet 260, but Harry had offered to let her borrow his Nimbus 2000, which she accepted. Harry hoped the witch would be alright on an unfamiliar broom.

Five seekers, two practice snitches, the player with the most catches in two hours would be declared the winner. There were no other quidditch players or balls around, including bludgers, which Harry thought would have made it more interesting. But then there would be risk of injury, and beaters might be needed and… it would be another way for it not to be fair.

There was to be honour reporting, confirmed by the other players present. Krum had suggested Hermione as a counter, but Harry didn't think his friend could keep up with watching everything, and then he would feel too bad and have to tell Ron too and… it was better just telling them both afterwards.

Harry released his practice snitch, and Laura let out the Slytherin quidditch team's. Harry did hope that from this, Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw would get some training ideas. Better competition was always welcomed.

Thirty seconds later, Krum blew a whistle and they all went up into the air.

Laura and Cho both followed Krum immediately. Good, better than them following _him_ , Harry thought. But Cedric was watching Harry. Harry was actually flattered that he would be considered a threat when there was international quidditch player _Victor Krum_ on the pitch. Of course, there were two snitches to catch.

Harry took his high, vulture-like stance, and he knew Krum would like to be doing the same, but he was currently trying to ditch his tails. Harry trusted that he wouldn't do anything drastic like at the World Cup- any injury would end their competition entirely. He knew Krum could watch almost as effectively even while flying at high speeds, but it did give Harry a small advantage of less distraction. Harry had wondered at the World Cup if Krum had cared too much what Lynch was doing.

 _Was that?_

Harry dove, quickly and straight for the ground. He had been high, but no one was much closer. He had learned something from Krum, positioning himself where Cedric couldn't see the snitch through Harry's body. And yes, Cedric stopped even trying, deciding it was a feint until Harry gripped the thing in his hand.

He did it, the first catch, he thought. Harry would guess that it was the Slytherin snitch, but it didn't matter. Harry unwrapped his fingers, and the snitch darted off. Harry already had new attention though, from Laura as well as Cedric. Harry wondered if Krum knew too.

Harry didn't bother trying to watch the snitch. They all had to wait thirty seconds before going after that snitch again, and a snitch always managed to disappear in that time. They were magical, after all, and would do their job. It was better to search for the other one.

It felt harder after that. Krum had caught two before Harry had another good snitch spotting. And then Harry saw both snitches almost at the same time. But Krum was closer to one of them.

Harry took the easier catch, but that would be at least Krum's third. Harry wished he knew how much time was left. He only fought Laura for his second catch, and it wasn't particularly close. But she had talent that Draco should be happy with. Harry was excited for the next quidditch season, which seemed an eternity away with all the hazards around him. None of which he could afford to think of right now.

Harry hoped his broom didn't deserve the credit. They could have asked to borrow some of the Slytherin teams's brooms so they could all have Nimbus 2001, Harry realized. But that would have meant asking too many people, and probably letting them come and-

 _There_.

Harry dove for it, keeping it out of Cho's sight without really thinking about it, because she was following him now. But- Krum was coming from the other side and was at least as close-

Harry closed fingers around it and Krum shot upwards, to avoid a multi-seeker collision. All five seekers emerged, shaken, but uninjured. _Good_ , because Harry didn't want to have something to explain to his dad.

Harry released the snitch again but couldn't help feeling like he'd won something right there.

Harry refocused and flew off in search of the other snitch, but Krum blew the whistle to stop their competition before anyone made another catch.

In the end count, Harry and Krum had three catches each, none of the other seekers had caught any. It was just a made up competition, and Harry and Krum _did_ have the better brooms, and there _was_ definitely luck involved but… Harry had tied the most recent seeker to catch a snitch in the Quidditch World Cup. Krum was arguably the best seeker in the world. It felt like winning.

But maybe the best was what Krum had said after. "Next time, ve play vit World Cup snitch, to see compare," Krum said when the others had left and Harry was lingering near the great player.

"Oh, you could get one of those?" Harry asked. He had wondered how they compared.

"If you play in World Cup, maybe in eight years."

 **A/N: Let me know if/when you see this chapter, because I had a problem last week with my upload not going up when I told it to the first time. Thank you for the support.**


	75. Chapter 75 Malfoy Matter

Chapter 75- Malfoy Matter

"It's the evening prophet," Hermione said, putting the paper in front of Harry's dinner. "I had- wondered if there would be anything about the Yule Ball this morning, but I guess _Rita Skeeter_ was still working on something else. Did you have a- flying competition this morning?" Hermione asked.

"I- a seeker competition. Krum would only agree if only the five of us- him and the four Hogwarts seekers knew. I- was going to tell you guys afterwards, today… sometime…." Harry said.

"Eh, I'll complain about not getting to watch later. How'd you do?" Ron asked. A few others were listening in or trying to get hold of a copy of the Prophet.

"It was a- tie, three to three, but he did better, really. He almost won four catches to two," Harry said, to the growing crowd.

"You should write to Oliver about that," Fred said.

"Though he'd try to convince you to drop out now and join his team, and we won't be the ones to tell your dad about that," George pointed out.

"And none of the other competitors made a catch?" Hermione asked, still reading the paper.

"Yeah, but they flew well. There's a lot of luck," Harry said. "And without beaters and bludgers it wasn't like a real game," Harry said. Though he was feeling pretty good about everyone thinking he did well.

 _"Boy-Who-Lived, Greatest Seeker in the World?"_ the headline read. It sounded pretty great. And really arrogant for him to even think that.

"And, the end references other articles about you," Hermione said, now on a later page in the paper. There's one about you changing your name, and then it seems to be just rehashing the story of you and your dad. Congratulations on that, by the way," Hermione said. A few of Harry's friends had known his plan, mostly the old core of their defense group, but Harry didn't mind about that one being public now. "This- one is- ah- about you too, about the Yule Ball and Padma slapping you, though it doesn't get her name, and about you dancing with Fleur- which did that last part happen?" Hermione asked.

"Yeah," Harry said. "So I guess Parvati and Padma are going to be even more mad at me now?" Harry asked. Parvati was far on the other end of the Gryffindor table.

"Probably," Ron said with a smile. "But _Fleur_ might not be."

"Fleur was- it was just a dance. She's seventeen and goes to another school. We barely know each other. That's ridiculous," Harry said. Though she had been nice, and very pretty.

Ron started a coughing fit that made Harry-

"Oh, I'm sorry, Hermione, I didn't mean you and Krum," Harry said in a rush.

"It's fine," Hermione said, and she didn't look too upset, maybe annoyed…

"The Prophet is always stupid but- how did they know about the flying anyway? It was just a few hours ago, and- I didn't say anything," Harry said. "Can I look at that?" H,arry asked, and he started scanning the article.

'Keen eyes, being followed by….'

' _Breathtaking dive, culminating in a catch not even a second before Victor Krum would have_ …'

' _Nearly a collision_ …'

Harry said, "It sounded like she was really watching, but that's not possible. It was only the five of us, and Krum put up wards. I hope Victor doesn't think I told anyone." Harry groaned, "It looks like I did it for publicity or something. I've got to say something to- he's not at the Slytherin table," Harry said. He didn't know why he cared so much, except he had really appreciated what Victor said and- if they really could fly against each other again as competitors one day, he would hate to have Victor still annoyed at him for this when he didn't even do anything.

"I'm going to go- see if he's by the boat okay? Maybe they can eat there too," Harry said heading for the door. If the school thought he was running from what was in the Prophet… he didn't care.

Harry found Victor easily. No one else would be swimming in the lake on a freezing December evening with the sun was long since down and everyone else that was still at the castle was at dinner. Harry supposed he wasn't the only one who knew the secret of the egg by now. He wondered what Victor's plan was to make it so deep. Unless this was unrelated and Victor just _liked_ to swim in water with a bit of ice in it. Even with warming charms, that seemed crazy.

"Victor," Harry shouted, to the young man now coming up on the edge, out of the water, in just small swimming shorts. Why did the task in the lake have to be in the winter?

"Yes, Harry Potter?" Victor asked.

"It's- Harry Snape actualy, officially now," Harry said. "But I just," he held out the paper. "Wanted you to know I had nothing to do with this. I didn't even tell my best friends, though I was going to, but they wouldn't have told either. Here," he said, holding out the paper again.

"I do not read Eenglesh vell, Harry Snape. Vat does say?" Krum asked. It was pretty dark anyway.

"Oh it just- describes our game and… calls me maybe the best seeker alive since- you're maybe the best seeker, and we tied. I didn't want you to think that I asked to fly against you planning to tell the papers about it," Harry said.

"I learn after goblet you do not like attention. You are not afraid of it, but do not seek it, I tink. So I do not tink you talk to paper."

"I didn't, but I don't think any of the others would as well, really," Harry said, which was another problem.

"Proud competitors. Not brag about loss, I tink," Victor agreed.

"Yeah, I just don't know how she knew," Harry said.

"Who is writer?" Krum asked.

"Rita Skeeter," Harry said. "The same one who was at the wand weighings."

"She ees good. Knew about my- how you say, end dating- with girl before World Cup final. I thought girl speak to Skeeteer but maybe not. Girl only wanted famous."

"That's rough," Harry said. It also gave some insight into why Victor might be interested in Hermione, a girl who didn't care about quidditch, and who didn't care that one of her best friends was famous too. Not that there weren't plenty of other good reasons to like Hermione too.

"Find anything interesting in the lake?" Harry asked, more to have something else to say.

"I vill," Krum answered, and Harry could hear his smile, more than he could see it. "Because I vill vin."

*****Severus*****

"Severus?" came Lucius Malfoy's voice from his sitting room. Severus had never seen the man head in the floo in his life. Though the man wouldn't have been able to use the floo properly, the dignified man would use owl communication. "May I come through?" he asked. He looked… ragged. His long, blond hair was not perfectly straight.

"I believe you will understand my reservations in making that allowance," Severus answered, in what was likely to be the end of their long friendship. He told himself that it would be no great loss.

"You've talked to Draco then, probably helped him _plan_ this whole thing."

"I speak to Draco frequently, as his professor, Head of House, and godfather. Though I am not certain to what you are referring," Severus said, though of course, he assumed that Draco had taken his thoughts into action.

"I would have never thought I would describe _your_ life as blissful," The man said. This was not the well-liked, wealthy teenager that a first year Severus Snape had looked up to. "But you have a son who doesn't want himself disowned. Does anything else matter? Though I hear you've become quite cozy with Andromeda Black's daughter."

"She's been Andromeda Tonks for more than two decades, but I doubt you came to discuss my romantic life. What do you want, Lucius?"

"Draco's last letter to his mother said that he no longer had need of the Malfoy finances and residence, would be living elsewhere this summer, and would not discuss it further. And he said that if I attempted to intervene in any way, he has a request for _emancipation_ ready to be filed. He even threatened to speak to the _press_."

Draco has acted more quickly that Severus expected. He supposed the boy had been thinking about it for some time. "And how is Narcissa handling this?" Severus asked neutrally.

"She only speaks to me when she feels like yelling again, and- wha-" he screamed as the green flames rose higher, and Dora materialized, kicking Lucius Malfoy in the head with her purple trainers before falling to the stone floor. Severus helped her up immediately of course, and regretted any pain she might have felt but… it would still be a treasured memory, Dora kicking Lucius in the head. Severus wished she had been wearing more substantial footwear.

"I'm fine, Severus. I've had a worse fall today even. Am I interrupting?" Dora asked.

" _Yes_ ," Lucius said. From his position, he wasn't even able to rub the back of his head, though he hadn't left his place on the floor.

"No. In fact, your presence could be quite useful," Severus answered. If Lucius would agree.

"Well, hello, _Uncle Lucius_ ," Dora said. "We haven't been properly introduced, have we, Severus. But you probably already know that I'm your wife's disowned sister's daughter, and that I'm Severus's girlfriend." She declared.

"I was aware," Lucius said.

"Lucius, I will ask you again. And you can speak freely in front of Dora, because I would have told her everything we discussed anyway. What do you want by coming here?"

"I want my son back. For my wife to not hate me. I want to live the life I had for those ten years between the Dark Lord's fall and my son leaving for Hogwarts."

"Did he start to pull away even then?" Severus asked.

"Soon after. And I don't think I have to tell you that I blame you and your son. And myself. But that doesn't matter now, does it?"

"And what does matter, Lucius?" Severus asked, enjoying the strange frankness of this direct conversation.

"I will do whatever I have to do to make amends with my son. And as I cannot speak with him, I am seeking _your_ advice, as an adult he still respects, perhaps more than anyone else."

"Dora, would you mind if I allowed him through the floo this once?" Severus asked, more to annoy Lucius than anything else.

"Oh, go right ahead," Dora said, playing along amiably with whatever Severus chose to do, it seemed.

A few minutes later, Lucius Malfoy stood before them, no wand in sight and looking less regal than usual. Though it was likely an intentional play for pity.

"Tom Riddle is trying to rise again," Severus stated, testing the waters.

Lucius looked confused. He was not aware of the name.

"Tom Riddle. The evil, self-righteous, half-blood bastard whom _I_ no longer call the Dark Lord. This is where we stand, Lucius, if you wish to leave now, I can simply wipe a few memories away and pour some fire whiskey down your throat, and you'll never know you were here."

"He was a _half-blood_?" Lucius asked disbelievingly. Of course the bigoted man would latch onto that. In the presence of two other half-bloods.

"Just as much as I am. And he _is_ a half-blood. He's not dead. Though whether he is human at the moment is unclear. He is doing his best to walk among the other living again. And you cannot be so ignorant of it, or is your Dark Mark not returning to the way it was?" Severus asked.

Lucius's hand drifted only as far as his wrist. How many years had he spent checking to make sure his sleeves were down at all times before it was a nervous gesture for the serene man? "And you want to stop him, you and your son. Is Draco involved?" Lucius demanded. "What danger are you putting my son in, Severus?"

"Draco was a great help, yes. In a role that he has already completed and was put in no physical danger to do so," Severus said, and it was true, really. "I love my godson and would not hurt him in any preventable way, Lucius. I care for him almost as much as my own son."

" _I_ love my son. He and Narcissa are my life," Lucius declared.

"And what of the time a year and a half ago that I held him as he cried after you slapped him for setting an elf free?" It would have been a mild event in either of the lives of the two men present, but it had hurt the child greatly.

"It was an action I regret more than any other that I can remember, and I have _killed_ , Severus. I am not blind to the atrocities I have committed."

"He let the elf go intentionally, you know, because you were torturing the creature," Severus tested.

"I am aware of the motivations of my son, Severus. He has never been a careless child. I knew before then that I was losing him, and it angered me far more than losing a servant," Lucius said, staring at Severus's floor rather than his usual chin-jutting pose. The creature had been a slave, not a servant, not even a willing slave like most house elves. However, the morality of slave labor was not a discussion Severus ever cared to have, particularly not with the man in front of him.

"If there were something difficult, potentially dangerous that you could do that might earn the respect of your son, would you do it, Lucius?" It was... an interesting thought that might have merit.

"Yes," the other man responded instantly, sitting straighter in the chair.

"I will need an unbreakable vow to show your commitment and your silence," Severus said. "And we are lucky that Dora is here to assist. What do you say, Lucius?"

"I will do what I must," Lucius said. A father's bravery, even if he wasn't the best father. He was as reluctant as he was any word in the English language, but determined.

"Your hand," Severus directed," extending his own.

Lucius grasped the offered hand, and Dora raised her wand above them.

"Will you, Lucius Malfoy, swear to not speak, or otherwise communicate in any way the nature or subject of what we discuss in this room tonight? I make one, small allowance that you may say to Narcissa Malfoy, your wife, if the subject were to arise, that she may come and speak to me personally. Will you?" he asked again. He shouldn't have added the last piece, but Narcissa could be an ally in her own right.

"I will," Lucius agreed. A tongue of flame from Dora's wand, binding their hands together. At a nod from Severus, the flames faded.

"That is all?" Lucius asked, surprised.

"For now," Severus answered. "Tell me, are you familiar with the concept of a horcrux, Lucius?"

The other wizard frowned, thoughtful, "I have heard of the word and know it as dark magic but nothing specific," the wizard said, wary.

"It is formed from murder, splitting one's soul, and putting it in an object. The creator cannot truly die while a horcrux remains undestroyed. Tom Riddle made several."

"The diary," Lucius whispered.

"Yes, you did carelessly hand out a piece of the soul of our old master. Without that, we might never have been alerted to their existence. I shall be sure to tell Tom about that one day if this goes poorly."

The other man ignored the threat, "But you have been finding others and destroying them?"

"There have been others retrieved and destroyed as well, yes. But one has been particularly difficult. One that Riddle created recently, after an unknown follower helped him return to some rudimentary physical form."

"And you want _me_ to find and destroy it," Lucius said, swift on the uptake, though it was brutally obvious that Severus would not have been sharing this otherwise.

"It is a snake, which Riddle keeps near him. It must be reached without alerting him that anyone knows of horcruxes. He _must_ not make more of them."

"I'll do it," the man promised.

"You would need to find him or his follower, fabricate a story of wanting to help your master, and instead work to bring about his final demise. Is that something that you can do, Lucius?"

"For my family, I would do anything," Lucius Malfoy maintained.

"Then I shall require another unbreakable vow from you, old friend. I cannot afford to take chances."

"And if I did not agree?" Lucius asked.

"You would agree," Severus stated evenly, holding out his hand again.

Again, Dora started the binding.

"Will you, Lucius, as your foremost priority in life, work to find Tom Riddle, the master we both once served, and obtain his familiar, a large snake, without alerting anyone to the existence of horcruxes or our knowledge of horcruxes?" Severus crafted.

"I will," Lucius answered. It was good that Severus had given at least the illusion of choice in the matter. He had always known that Lucius would agree. This time, the thin whip of flame that coiled around their joined hands, reminded Severus vividly of the snake they must destroy.

"And will you work to bring this snake to me, incapacitated but alive, to the best of your abilities, at all times when this does not conflict with your foremost priority?" Severus asked. He had to make the task narrowly defined enough that a Snake could not slither out, but not so much as to paralyze his helper. It wouldn't help either of them if Lucius went off getting killed.

"I will," Lucius answered, prompting a second tongue of flame to emit from Dora's wand.

"Will you, if called to serve again as a follower to Tom Riddle, report all of your actions and any other information related to Tom Riddle that you are able to discover to me, as quickly as possible without revealing your association with me or any actions we intend to make together, until such time that you can retrieve the snake?"

"I will," Lucius answered, the sweat rolling down his temple wasn't just from the fire in their binding.

"Will you, in your potential service to your old master, seek to cause as little harm as possible to any living being except for Tom Riddle and his followers, except when this conflicts absolutely with our previously stated objectives," Severus spelled out. He wouldn't just be giving Riddle a second follower to do his work.

"I will," Lucius replied, their hands so encased in coils of flames that they could hardly be seen.

With a nod from Severus, the spell flared once more and vanished. They still had much to plan, and other matters than Severus needed to tend to.

*****Severus*****

"Draco, how are you?" Severus asked

"Fine," the boy replied.

"I hear you will be staying with Andromeda and Ted next summer?" Severus asked.

"They have a room ready for me already," Draco said in non-answer. "I assume you have spoken to my Mother, then?" Draco said.

"Your father. I received the impression that Narcissa gave him orders to fix the situation or he would not like the consequences."

"So, he came to you instead of talking to me," the boy sulked.

"Would you have responded to his owls?" Severus questioned.

"Probably not," Draco answered.

"And he found it necessary to not wait for owls. He floo called yesterday evening. I must say, in all the years I have known him, I have never seen Lucius Malfoy's head sticking out of a floo. Dora came through while he was there and kicked him in the head by mistake."

As expected, all of that seemed to cheer the boy, that his father had cared to floo call, and that he had gotten a kick for it. "What did he want?"

"A form of penance, I believe. He wanted a way to earn your respect. And I freely admit that I had need of assistance he could provide, so I made agreement for his assistance. I made no promise as to your thoughts on the manner. I believe he is hoping that you will give thought to his… change of heart, so to speak. He is now helping me similarly to how you did, Draco," Severus said, giving the most relevant details. He had no regret over his deal with Lucius, if it would help Harry. But he wouldn't want to negatively impact Draco either.

"But- but he didn't really _want_ to change, so that's not a real change. He just agreed to it to try to keep _me_. That's nothing new. I mean- I always knew that he loved me. But is that enough? He's- killed people, I'm sure, and he's not even sorry for that," Draco said astutely.

"That is- a completely justified viewpoint for you to have, Draco. You do not have to see him if you are uncomfortable. The Tonks's are a wonderful family that anyone should be proud to live with. And my floo will always be open to you as well, though I would need to- discuss it with Harry before any long-term arrangement was reached," Severus said tightly. Should he have given his godson another… option years ago? He had been concerned with not pushing matters with Lucius too far. And if he had done such a thing, he would not have Lucius's alliance now, but this was another teenage boy's life.

"However, sometimes, a change of actions even for the wrong reasons is enough to start a new life, and the heart may follow. I turned from the life of a Death Eater because a woman I loved was threatened," Severus said. "It was _fear_ that caught me first. And later, I turned away from the life of a miserable, bitter man, old before my time, because my son needed to be cared for. Love is a very powerful motivator. And as dark as his past has been, I truly believe that your father loves you very much, as does your mother."

"I could probably see them," Draco said. "Not now, and not in the manor. But after my father does whatever he has to do for you, and after every single thing that's hidden under the drawing room has been destroyed. Then, I'll talk to him. I will write to Mother tonight," the boy said. "I don't mean to hold my fa- _her husband's_ \- actions against her, but- I can't- but she could have stopped him, I think," Draco stumbled over his words. And the boy was probably right. Narcissa Black had always had a strange system of priorities, but she had never been a complacent weakling, nor did Severus suspect that she truly was now.

"My only last advice? Tell your mother that you love her. And your father too if you can manage to say it," Severus said. Words left unsaid were more painful than anything ever said.

*****Severus*****

"Hey, any new developments?" Dora questioned. "I mean, I know it was just yesterday, but has Narcissa visited yet? I would _love_ to see that," she said from her place on their- on the sofa.

"She has not visited, which leads me to believe that Lucius has not yet told her anything, because I believe she would do anything for her son," Severus stated.

"Like you would," Dora said.

"Being an auror, you have… dealt with the risk of dying for a cause," Severus started uncomfortably.

"Yes, and I would for _our_ cause, to stop Riddle, and to protect Harry," Dora declared.

"What if they cannot both be done?" Severus asked. "You would die for a cause; would you _run_ for one?"

"What?" she asked.

"I am asking for something against your nature, but there could come a time that the only way to save Harry's life is to go far away, away from the Riddle, the Ministry, from Albus Dumbledore himself, for all that he has been my greatest ally for years. And I'm asking if you'd come with us, even if it meant abandoning both of our professions, and everything else. Riddle would be chasing us, and I know it's more dangerous for everyone but Harry than staying here, but I would have to protect him. And I love you and hope that you would come with us," Severus finished breathless.

"First of all, yes, of course I'd come. Harry would be much harder to convince, and we'll want to convince him, not take him by force. And it won't come to that, because we'll come up with something better first. And _second_ , go back and say the 'I love you' part again, because your grand declaration of love for me is _not_ something that is going to just get wrapped up in a doomsday escape plan, Severus Snape" Dora said.

"I love you, Dora Tonks" Severus repeated. It had been what he had been meaning to say for a while, to not leave anything important unsaid, hanging over him. But when he saw her sitting there, everything else had come out too.

"Well, haven't you grown? I've wanted to say that for a year, but didn't want to scare _you_. I guess I underestimated you. I love you, Severus Snape," Dora said in return.

"Thank you," Severus said.

"You're not supposed to say thank you. I'm pretty sure you're just supposed to kiss the girl," Dora grinned.

"You're not a _girl_ ," Severus reminded her. They'd had that conversation some years ago now.

"Then you're supposed to kiss the _woman_ that you love."

"Gladly," Severus responded, and he- they did.

 **A/N: Please let me know what you thought! Before all else, Severus is a parent. Someone's asked a while ago how he was going to take learning that Harry had to die, but I don't think that any good parent is just going to accept that your teenage son needs to be a sacrifice for some great cause. And Lucius Malfoy is a parent as well, though one who thinks too much of himself and his bloodline.**

 **Thank you for all the lovely reviews last week! They really keep me writing. When some people weren't getting what I wrote the week before, it had me really discouraged (though I did have one awesome reviewer ask if I was okay because I usually posted by then, which told me something was wrong in the first place.) And the upload is early this week because tomorrow will be really busy for me.**


	76. Chapter 76 Unforgivable Curses

Chapter 76- Unforgivable Curses

*****Harry*****

The Friday evening before term started on Monday, Harry and Dora had a metamorphmagus lesson for the first time in ages. Harry hadn't been sure if he'd really needed it- he could change himself just about however he wanted, and didn't use it much these days except to hide the occasional spots that on his face- and freshen his hair, because more than daily showering would be ridiculous and sometimes his hair still looked a bit greasy, especially in the last year or so.

Mostly, Harry had just looked forward to spending time with just Dora, like he hadn't since the concert. And even his father agreed that Harry was prepared ahead of schedule for the Triwizard tasks. And the horcrux search was going well, because Draco had helped Harry's dad get and destroy another one. And his dad had some plan for the snake, which he was sorry that he couldn't tell Harry yet, but Harry understood. If there was any small chance of Voldemort getting in Harry's mind, then it was bad that Harry already knew as much as he did. But that just made Harry work even harder on Occlumency.

Harry looked in the mirror at the girl he had successfully changed himself into- well, just his face and hair. Hermione had come to his mind easily, but it had been a bad idea to look like his friend. He changed back into himself quickly. "That's just too weird," he said.

"Can be useful for a disguise though. If someone were looking for you, they'd never think to look for a girl- or, say, an old woman. But I had better not hear of you sneaking into a girl's changing room."

Harry shuddered, thinking of getting caught like that. All the girls, probably everyone in the school would hate him. "Dora- can I ask you something?"

"Sure, Harry. Anything. What's up?"

"Er- about a girl -or a few girls, particularly one who's a bit older," Harry let out nervously, glad he'd asked Dora and not his father but still uncomfortable.

"How old are we talking here, as an upper bound? Like as old as- it's- it's not me is it, because that would be totally understandable just-"

Harry had to stop her, "Dora, _gross_. You're practically my mu- sorry," Harry said, backing off.

Dora was suddenly serious, "No, what am I, Harry? Please tell me," she said, scooting closer.

"It's nothing. I was- just going to say that you're practically like my mum, since I mean, I've known you almost as long as my dad and you two are- together- and you're nice to me, but I know you aren't trying to – wouldn't mean to-" he fumbled until Dora grabbed him, squeezing him in one of her tight hugs, better even than Mrs. Weasley hugged.

"Harry, you're the best kid in the world, you know?" she told him, still holding him tight. "I'm terrible at this stuff, but I'm so glad I've been around as you've been growing up, and I'd love nothing better than to be your mum. At least step-mum officially, but maybe don't tell your dad that yet, because _that_ might freak him out, though maybe not. Did you know he told me he loved me? He was really cute about it. And maybe I should trust _your_ judgement since you helped us get together in the first place," Dora chuckled. That was great, really great. "I _love_ you, Harry. I knew that when I was worried I'd gotten you killed in your first year, and I couldn't live with that. I was sure I loved _you_ well before I knew I loved your father as well," Dora said. "So- go ahead, ask for the girl advice, though I might be rubbish at it."

Harry hesitantly sat back when Dora's grip loosened. "That's great, Dora," Harry said, so happy for them- and for him too.

Then he just let it all spill out, confident that Dora wouldn't make fun of him, "It's just that so many girls seem interesting these days. Shouldn't I just notice one? I er- even thought Hermione was really pretty at the Yule Ball, and I've always thought of her as practically a sister. And I always notice that Ron's sister, Ginny, is really pretty now. She used to have the really awkward crush on my just because I was the Boy Who Lived, and that was weird and uncomfortable, but now she doesn't anymore, and she's brave and cool, and good at defense. And now she'd not interested in me anymore, and all the sudden she's dancing with Michael Corner and Draco, and Neville, and Dean likes her, but I think she might like Draco, and I shouldn't be noticing Ron's little sister anyway."

"And there's Cho Chang, the Ravenclaw seeker, who's beautiful but Cedric's dating her, but I- thought I liked her, but I've tried to ignore that, because I do like Cedric. And I've barely talked to her at all, so we might have nothing in common besides quidditch. And I know I'm not supposed to like a girl just because she's pretty, but I can't stop noticing. And there's er- Fleur Delacour, the French champion, who I know every bloke fancies because she's part vela. But I hated her- or at least disliked her- at first because of some stuff, but then we had a few good conversations."

"And I was terrible to my own date to the Yule Ball, Parvati. I danced with her twin sister without even realizing she wasn't the same person. But then I had a really good time with Padma, and she seemed great, and I thought maybe I liked _her_ , but I'm sure neither of them would talk to me again anyway. They might even stop coming to the DA. Oh, the DA is this defense group thing, but you probably know about that. So, I'm completely hopeless, and I should really just be focusing on the tournament and on Tom Riddle stuff, so I shouldn't have time to think about girls anyway."

"That's it," Harry said at last, wondering if he'd ever talked that much at one time in his life.

"Okay, wow. Well, first, you're fourteen, so it's totally normal to be interested in multiple girls- all girls everywhere really. You just can't seriously date more than one at once, but when you're confident, you can even flirt with all of them. Though I'm awful at flirting so- we'll come back to that later. And you can't just put off being interested in a girl because bad stuff's going on in the world, because sometimes there's never a better time, and you don't want to miss a chance. As for the girls you mention hmm… you can think a girl's pretty without wanting to date her, so I wouldn't worry too much about Hermione. Ginny's sweet, and if she's over her crush on 'Harry Potter' that she had all of her life, then that show's she grown up, and can maybe see you for you. And you do need to consider Ron's feelings, but I think he'd understand if you really liked her. I told you I'm bad at this."

"And for Cho, that one's unfortunately easier. It's never advisable to go after a girl with a boyfriend, _or_ to plan on waiting around until she's single. That's just asking for heartbreak, really, and Cedric's a really good kid, but you seem to know that already" Harry nodded.

"And a terrible first date- don't worry too much about that. It's practically the law that you have to have a terrible first date. Maybe a little gift or apology card? Or a bigger gift if you'd like to go out with Parvati again. And a _different_ gift to- Padma, especially if you might like her. Maybe don't ask either out for a while though to let them cool off."

"And the French girl- she sounds interesting, if you're sure you're not just interested in her because she's part veela, because that wouldn't be good for either of you. I mean, she's a little old for you now, which I know sounds like the most hypocritical thing in the world coming from me, but she is going to be in the adult world once she graduates in a few months, and you still have more school, so that's a little different, but maybe not impossible, especially if you want to wait a while- which is not the same as waiting for someone who's dating someone else. Maybe talk to your father about that one. I'm not being very helpful, I know. But it's okay to date, even when it's not perfect."

"Er- I mean, Fleur would never like a kid like me anyway," Harry said, surprised that Dora was taking each scenario so seriously.

"Don't be so sure about that, Harry. You're an endearing young man."

"Thanks, for all the advice."

"Anytime kid, anytime."

*****Severus*****

"Severus," Narcissa Malfoy called. Severus hadn't interacted with the woman as much as her husband, for all that they were much closer in age at Hogwarts.

Severus was only surprised this had taken so long. "You may come through," Severus said. He wouldn't give her the same treatment as Lucius.

When she came through the floo, she was an imposing figure, tall for a woman, perfect posture.

"I want to hear whatever you will deign to tell me of my son," Narcissa said, though Severus had caught her eyes darting around, perhaps hoping Draco was there.

"Not until you have sworn the Unbreakable Vow, and we still need a Bonder," Severus said.

"You will call Dumbledore, then? Your true master?" Narcissa asked, still aloof.

He hadn't told Albus about Lucius or his task. He wasn't sure if he yet intended to. "There is no need. Dora should be here shortly. Have you ever met your niece, Narcissa?"

"Twice," the witch answered. "Once when she was a baby, and I was rather young myself. And again when she was still probably too young to remember, and my pregnancy with Draco wasn't going well.

Severus nodded, silent. Pregnancy didn't sit well with Narcissa Malfoy, or Severus was certain that Draco wouldn't be an only child. But, besides the Weasley family, there were mostly single children among his students, two children in a family at most. Had it been that way in his day?

"Is she happy, Andromeda?" Narcissa asked.

"She and Ted seem very happy," Severus answered.

"It's her- _them_ \- that Draco wants to live with, isn't it, Severus?"

"That is not what we will be discussing Narcissa, even after you have taken an Unbreakable Vow," Severus said.

"But it _is_ what I came to find out," Narcissa replied.

"Wherever Draco stays, I will see that he is safe and happy. But it is my hope that by summer, that could be true in your own home," Severus said, though he wasn't sure what he actually hoped for the boy.

"Give her my thanks, and my love," Narcissa Black said.

*****Harry*****

Everyone could tell from the way Moody was pacing at the front, and there were still desks in rows to sit in, that it would be an interesting lesson. Which showed how different Moody's class was from the others, because mostly when Harry sat for all of a lesson, it wasn't the most interesting classes.

"You might have heard that I spoke to my fifth year and above classes last term about the three "Unforgivable Curses." This week, I am having the same discussion with my third and fourth year classes, and near the end of term, I will discuss them with my first and second year classes. Because it is important, and I am not planning on teaching you next year. Who knows about them. Hands?" he asked.

Harry and about half the class raised a hand, most of them tentative.

" _Snape_ , name one," Moody called.

Harry actually looked back at the door, expecting to see his father but… of course Malfoy had meant him. It had been in the paper that Harry's name was officially changed. Just this was the first time that someone had called him his new surname.

Moody didn't react to Harry's confusion.

"The Killing Curse, sir. Avada Kadavra. It's er- green and kills without leaving a mark," Harry said. He wasn't sure if an explanation had been asked for. The spell had been on his mind sometimes- since just a few months ago, he had asked his father to use it on him to get rid of the horcrux… which his father had not taken very well.

"Good," Mad-Eye answered.

"Weasley, your hand was up, can you name another?" he asked.

"The um- Imperius Curse," Ron answered. "My dad said the Ministry had a lot of problems with it because You-Know-Who used it to bewitch some people to follow him. And some other people just claimed that they were under it to."

Moody smiled at that, but his smile was more unnerving than anything.

"Yes, very true. Granger, do you know the last?" he asked.

"The Cruciatus Curse," Neville answered instead. Harry thought it was the first time he had ever heard polite Neville interrupt anyone. "It is a torture curse, causing intense, terrible pain. Prolonged exposure causes permanent brain damage, sometimes to the point of a catatonic state," Neville listed off. Harry didn't really know how bad off Neville's parents were, or how many of their classmates knew.

"Good, boy, very good," Moody answered.

Neville's parents had been aurors, hadn't they? So Moody probably would have known them.

"And someone else, what makes these curses unforgivable in the eyes of the Ministry?" Moody asked.

For a moment, no one said anything. But this wasn't something a teenager, even Hermione Granger, was likely to read much about.

"My dad says they taint the soul," Ron said at last.

"Your father is a good man," Moody said, Ron grinning widely. "And perhaps he is correct. They are very difficult, powerful curses, fueled by strong emotions. Like the Patronus Charm, though that spell is clearly of the 'light side,' so to speak. But there are plenty of other dark spells, many that are in some ways more heinous. But what makes these three spells different than any other spell cast by a wand?" he asked.

And Harry knew this one.

"No shield spell can block them," he answered.

"Good. Which is why you must not get hit. Run around while you still have two healthy legs," he instructed. Summon or conjure an obstacle. Don't get hit, and you don't get killed, for another moment at least. Sometimes, there is nothing even the very strongest of us can do. Now, questions?" he asked.

Seamus put his hand in the air. Hand-raising was generally optional in Moody's class, but he didn't stand for chaos either. Moody nodded at him.

"Have you used them?" Seamus asked.

"Two of them, many times. Do you know which I haven't used?"

"The- um, Avada Kadavra? Because it's the worst?" Seamus guessed.

"I disagree. Instant, painless death? There are many worse things than that. It's how I want to go out. Aurors were given permission to use it on Death Eaters in the war, but I knew how before then. I hadn't used it on a person, but I knew how. Because if it came down to between them or me, _I_ was going to live. That is lesson number one in defending against the dark arts- do what you have to do to come home alive, and CONSTANT VIGILANCE!" he roared that part, and then went on talking like normal- for Mad-Eye Moody. "-is how you ensure that happens."

"I have used the Imperious Curse as well, in the field to send one Death Eater in to ambush another. We didn't have to risk a valuable auror, and it was more likely to work, see? And we train our aurors to resist the Imperius, as well as they can. Some people can't learn. _I_ thought we shouldn't keep any recruits that couldn't- thought we shouldn't have anyone in the whole Ministry who couldn't. The whole damn government can't have a leader who could be made into a puppet. But _my_ opinion isn't regarded as highly as some. But I've used the Imperious more times than I could count. No, I have never used the Cruciatus Curse. Torture isn't a valid information gathering technique. The Imperius is more effective for capturing. Avada Kadavra is better for killing."

"And as to whether or not these curses taint your soul by their very nature… as they are generally strengthened with hate… well, you don't have the experience to make that decision. I'm not sure if I do either, and no one would know better. But I- take comfort in the fact that I have never used the Cruciatus."

"But- if you can resist the Imperius Curse, is it really useful for capturing Death Eaters? Surely they learned to resist it?" Harry asked.

"I never encountered one that was able to. It is a very difficult task. And Voldemort himself doesn't care about his Death Eaters," Moody said. Predictably, most of the class reacted to the name.

"You mean _didn't_ , not doesn't, right?" Dean asked. He hadn't startled at the name, but he was raised muggle too.

"Perhaps, perhaps not," Moody brushed off. "Now, I believe I said we'd start working on silent magic this term. It's all about the _intent_. The magic doesn't come from the words or the frilly wand movements, but from _you_. Do you think Japanese wizards use Latin spells? They don't. And witches and wizards who can't cast silently need to at least whisper. Any moderate threat is going to block a shouted stunning spell. I have some _first years_ who could." And Harry smiled at that, because he had watched Dennis Creevey block his brother's stunner just before the holidays.

"Pair off, but in two weeks, we'll work in uneven groups instead of pairs. More realistic and much more hectic," Moody instructed. Harry had already been doing this some in the DA, but hadn't had as much of a chance to be in the groups himself. He would have never thought it possible to so enjoy time spent in the Chamber of Secrets.

It was a good lesson. Hermione was already talking about how it was a shame that Hogwarts library was woefully lacking in material about other cultures of wizards, and that Victor's magical training didn't seem very different than their own, but further away places would naturally be more different, that there was wisdom of millennia that they were deprived of, and wondering if Harry's father might know where she could owl order such a text from, because she had only been able to visit two wizarding bookstores, and neither had the type of information she was looking for.

And her speech might have all been one sentence. Harry said he'd ask, and told his friends that he'd see them later.

Hermione looked curious, but Ron started talking about a wizard from Africa who his dad met, who had an animagus form of a cheetah and cast spells without a wand. It made Harry want to follow him and see if Ron knew any more, but he still wanted to talk to Professor Moody.

"Professor Moody, could you teach me to resist the Imperius Curse?," Harry asked.

"Tonks said you were good with mental magic, with your metamorphmagus skills," Moody said, looking at him with both eyes appraisingly. Harry smiled that Dora would brag about her student to her teacher. "Ask your father," the professor said, turning away.

"You mean, ask him to train me, or ask him if I can be trained by you?" Harry asked.

"It says nothing about his capacity as a wizard, but I don't believe your father could cast the Imperius Curse on you adequately. I had trouble with some of my favourites, and I had decades of experience. You have to _want_ to bend their will to yours, to control them. But if your father agrees to you learning from me, I will teach you. I don't even think it will take very long. Have you learned Occlumency from your father too?" he asked.

"Yes, sir, and some Legilimency," Harry said. It wasn't really a secret when most of the students in the castle knew.

"Ask your father," Moody repeated, hand waiving towards the door, still with his back to Harry, but Harry knew he was watching.

*****Severus*****

"Hey, handsome," Dora said, as she flopped onto the sofa, in what could only have been construed as a strange greeting for him.

"Excuse me?" he said, because what he thought first to say sounded rude, or morose.

"It seemed appropriate, given the two of us are featured in _Witch Weekly_. I mean, it also talks about Harry, and references the three articles she wrote about him last week, but really, most of it's about us. I love that woman's work, hilarious. I don't believe most of it of course, but I gotta say, she can write an entertaining story," Dora said.

"Skeeter," Severus huffed. What unpleasant drivel had she stretched now?

"She calls you distinguished looking," Dora said, waiving the offending periodical.

"'Distinguished' is simply a more salacious way of saying 'unfortunately looking,'" Severus responded. Severus had more than two decades of school children pointing out his inadequacies of appearance.

"Oh, no _self-pity_ ," she chided. "Would you rather be un-distinguished?" she asked. "You could look different if you wanted to. It gets tiresome eventually," she said. It could be viewed as hypocritical, given the pink hair she currently sported, though she was otherwise her "normal" self.

"What drivel is she spouting now, and how long have you read such a thing?" Severus asked.

" _Witch Weekly_ is no less valid a publication than the _Prophet_ , though I don't think that was much of a defense. And I don't often read it, but three different people mentioned it at work, all saying that their wives mentioned it to them, of course. I would bet at least one of them just read it himself.

"And what _entertaining_ bile is she spouting now?" Severus asked again. He didn't know what it meant that she was drawing this out. "Am I a lecherous decrepit taking advantage of a young woman who was my student?" he asked what of course the article would be about.

"No. _I_ am an angel, rescuing you from your 'reclusive, dreary life'. She might have said a few more descriptions in there, but I'll forgive her of them. _I_ am the intuitive, intelligent, beautiful woman who reunited you with your son- which, by the way, I don't think has been directly part of the public happy story before, but I haven't always kept up."

Positive. The woman had written a largely positive article about him?

"You're so cute when you're confused. It's because I'm the only one who gets to see you like that," Dora said. Cute? "Aside from a few snarks about your personality, from which I gather that she _really_ does not like you, and the insinuation that I got your attention with my _unique_ abilities, it's completely harmless fluff," Dora summarized, which didn't make him feel any better. Dora had dealt with such assumptions of her life for far too long, and it sounded like a thoroughly unflattering piece.

"That doesn't sound like a very pleasant piece at all," he remarked.

"No no," she said. "I will have no irritation, and definitely no plotting anything from you. I _said_ it was a positive article, and so it is. It's entirely about your frame of mind," she instructed. She was always telling him what to do. It was strange that he didn't mind. "I think it's _fun_. And someone seems to have seen us snogging on Christmas, but don't you dare assume it was those kids, Troy and the Ravenclaw girl. Your students _like_ you," she declared.

It was another preposterous lie that Severus could only meet with a raised eyebrow.

"Well they mostly do, way more than those in my year did anyway. And I'm willing to share credit with Harry, because he's great, but I'm _clearly_ a 'worker of miracles beyond the expected realm of magic.' _Witch Weekly_ says so, so I have published proof now."

"But you can't possibly ask me to agree with _Rita Skeeter_ , Nymphadora," Severus said, because she had been doing too much of the taunting.

The way she wrinkled her nose was endearing. And whenever there was teasing, it always ended in kissing, and Severus found himself ready to end the teasing for the evening.

 **A/N: Let me know what you think!**


	77. Chapter 77 Curiosity

Chapter 77- Curiosity

*****Harry*****

Harry had been trying to be alone. This had been a great year, even with… the tournament and horcruxes and… everything. But with the tournament, and especially with the DA, the whole castle knew him more and talked to him more often, and sometimes it just got- a little overwhelming. He always had his other room that he could go to, and sometimes did, but usually just stopping in when he was seeing Godric and Salazar. He didn't want to worry his dad or anything, because he was fine, really.

It had recently occurred to him that the Chamber of Secrets would be a really good place to go to be alone- when the DA wasn't having a meeting, and so long as there wasn't a girl actually using the loo… but if he went on a day when there would be a DA meeting in a few hours, he could always just say that he was going to go down early to get ready.

It would be a good place to throw around some spells and just… be alone.

But… it seemed like someone else already had the same idea, Harry noted, seeing the large hole open by the sink. Was someone already down there? Once he had opened it in front of people, which he usually did now, anyone could make the same sound and open it if they were good enough at copying, he supposed. Harry just hadn't thought that anyone would. Or was it still open from a while ago? Harry always waited until everyone was out after a meeting and asked the snake to close the exit, but he knew it would eventually close on his own, because he hadn't closed it himself after his dad rescued Ginny.

Curiosity got the better of Harry and had him sliding down, keeping his broom close as he slid down the pipe. It was always a fun ride down in a childlike way. Harry couldn't picture the stern impression that he had of Salazar Slytherin making the trip, though he could picture teenage Tom Riddle even less. How did Riddle find the entrance in the girl's loo in the first place?

Harry was distracted from those thoughts by a rather… enchanting scene, Luna Lovegood dancing around alone, in her strange way, with three patronus rabbits circling around her. She turned to him and smiled very prettily.

"I like your rabbits," Harry said in greeting.

"Hares, actually. They're wilder and stronger, and less likely to be kept as pets. I like them very much."

"Well, they're great. I don't think I've ever tried to cast two or three patronuses in a row," Harry said.

"They're nice company. I feel better for them having been there, even when they go away," she said, just as the last silvery hare vanished.

"Well, you don't- have to be down here by yourself," Harry said, though it sounded rude when he did.

"Oh, I don't mind being by myself. Sometimes I go to the Owlery, even though I don't have an owl, because it's peaceful there, except when students come. Your Hedwig is very intelligent."

"Thanks," Harry answered. It was strange when other people almost always knew more about him than he knew about them, but with Luna, somehow it didn't seem any stranger than anything else about her. "Did you- have a good Christmas?" he asked.

"I did. Father was disappointed that I didn't come home, but I had a lovely time at the ball with Ronald. I think we would be a good pair. He doesn't see it, but he's young," she said, smiling around at the large cavern around them.

But Luna was even younger than Ron. "I- think he likes Hermione," Harry said, not wanting the girl to be too hopeful. She seemed nice, and was Ginny's good friend, Harry knew.

"Oh, I know. He told me before asking me to go and was quite a gentleman about it. I think they might be a good match too. Someone can be suited with more than one person you know. I haven't convinced Father of this yet, but it is very hard when you've gone through a loss. I loved seeing your father so happy with his date. He's my favourite professor, you know," she said.

"I'll tell him that," Harry said, wondering what his father would think.

"He understands me best, I think. Wouldn't it be so sad if one person could only be happy with one other person? What if your perfect match was a muggle in Siberia? You'd never meet. Though I would love to visit there," she said absently. "Or the two of you could live hundreds or thousands of years apart."

"Do you think there's someone else you could be happy with at Hogwarts? Besides Ron, I mean?" Harry asked, hoping she wouldn't think it rude.

"Oh yes, I think so. But you can't really _know_ by guessing. And I haven't even talked to most of the people in Hogwarts, after all. And maybe I'll meet someone in Siberia."

Harry had never thought of someone his age or younger as wise before. Even Hermione, who was absolutely brilliant.

"Hey, Ron is taking Hermione to Hogsmeade next weekend, but some of the rest of us were going to hang out. Do you- want to? Ginny probably will."

"Are you asking me to Hogsmeade, Harry?" Luna asked.

"I- just to hang out with friends, you know," Harry said. This… whole year was too confusing, but Harry didn't think this part would stop anytime soon. He probably wouldn't stop worrying about girls until he had someone like Dora and his dad had each other.

"That sounds nice too. Will Neville be there? He was quite nice at the ball. We danced once," she said.

"Probably," Harry said. Was she interested in Ron, Harry, or Neville? He supposed girls could like multiple guys too. Definitely confusing, all of it.

"You've been good to talk to, Harry. And I'm looking forward to Hogsmeade. And to the DA meetings. Did you come down here to practice or to be alone? I do both sometimes. If you do want to be alone, I can leave," Luna offered.

"I- don't mind either way," Harry said, though that seemed terribly rude too, as soon as he did. Though he already had the feeling that Luna wouldn't care, which was a huge relief. "Where's your broom though?" he asked. He didn't see another broom around, and he thought he had seen Ginny giving Luna a ride before- since she would bring the Nimbus 2000 that was sort of just hers now. How had Luna planned on getting back up? Had she just planned on waiting until their meeting and missing dinner?

"Flying is nice, but I don't have a broom. But I don't need one for this," the girl said, still smiling.

"Wh- how do you get back up?" Harry asked.

"Sticking solution," Luna explained, holding up a vial that was filled with a slightly green substance. "For my shoes, and I wash them off when I get up," she explained.

"I can give you a ride," Harry offered. Using a potion seemed like a lot of work.

"I don't mind. I was proud when I perfected the strength of the solution for that climb. Different surfaces and angles need varying amounts of stickiness, you know," the witch commented. "My first attempts were too weak or two strong, so it was difficult, but I have found the right proportions of ingredients now." She _had_ said that she liked his father's class, or at least his father, so she was probably good at potions.

"That's great. But, if you do want to go flying sometime, let me know. I have a spare broom," Harry offered.

"I know that you have two. Ginny really appreciates it, even if she might not say it much. Perhaps I will fly sometime when you go with Ronald, or just with you, Harry," Luna said, walking lightly away.

Harry cast a few spells, including his own patronus charm, but he found himself not really wanting to be alone anymore. And he did want to see Luna walking up the slide, which he could probably still see if he flew to catch up.

That evening would be the first time he'd really seen Padma since the Yule Ball. Harry had written notes to each Patil twin, with some owl-ordered Honeydukes chocolates- after asking Lavender which each of them liked best- which was fortunately different things, so if they did talk about it, they'd know the individual effort he tried to make. He figured that if they'd be at the same school for another three and a half years, he should try to make it as un-awkward as possible.

Parvati had seemed okay- sort of, at least.

 _"I accept your apology, but you should know that if you ask me out again, I'm saying no," she said, walking off, now giggling with Lavender. That was alright, wasn't it? He hadn't really… thought he had been asking Parvati "out" to begin with, just to the ball, but maybe he should have thought about it._

"Hello, Padma," Harry greeted when the DA was finally settled that evening. They didn't really need his help sorting themselves into groups with tasks, usually, but maybe since it was the first of the new term- or maybe it was just Harry feeling anxious.

"Hello," she answered. She was standing next to a Slytherin girl in their year, Daphne, and they were probably about to work together before Harry butted in. But he wasn't likely to have more of a private moment, so he might as well say it.

"I am really sorry about the- ball. I enjoyed dancing with you, and it's good to see you here. Have a good practice," Harry said, possibly without breathing. Maybe he just wasn't breathing anymore.

"It is not fun to be mistaken for someone else," she commented.

"I- don't know what that's like, I guess," Harry said. Everyone always knew who he was just from his scar.

"If I had your ability, I wouldn't always look the same. I would be like your- teacher," she said. "But _you_ do not change."

"I- guess I don't much, yeah. Sometimes in public outside of school I do. But it would be weird if someone I know didn't know I was me, I guess. And I'm really sorry I didn't recognize you."

"Hello, Harry. I am really sorry about the ball. I enjoyed dancing with you, and it's good to see you here. Have a good practice," Padma mimicked his words, maybe perfectly, and smiled, turning back to Daphne who wore a grin of her own. _Girls. At least they weren't giggling._

*****Ron*****

 _Be yourself. Don't be an idiot. Be yourself. Don't be an idiot. She already said yes, so she must be at least a little interested in him like that. Or just nice and not wanting to hurt his feelings. Don't be an idiot. But be yourself._

 _What if he couldn't be both?_

Ron wasn't sure if he had ever been the first one awake in their room on a Saturday. And what good would that do when no one would leave for Hogsmeade for hours? He didn't know _how_ to spend that long getting ready for anything, or if it would do any good.

Ron counted his galleons, sickles, and knuts for the… too-many-th time. Harry's dad was great, letting him do jobs like scrubbing cauldrons and mincing ingredients for pay. He didn't have to do that, and Ron was getting better at ingredient preparing too, a bonus on top of the money. They'd have enough to do whatever they wanted in Hogsmeade, really. Harry's dad was too generous, probably. But was Hermione even the type of girl who would _want_ him to buy something for her? What if she thought it was… stifling or something? Or should he have already bought something before they even left?

Seamus and Dean teased him a little when they caught him just staring at the mirror. How long had he been standing there? If he stood up straight, you could see his ankles, so he must have grown more since summer. He had no idea how his mum fixed that until she switched their robes. He was already wearing the robes Percy had had his last year, though Percy must have been better at making them work, because he wasn't yet as tall as Percy or Bill, Ron thought. He was close though. He might be the tallest when he was done growing if he didn't stop soon. Hermione wasn't very tall- would she care about that? He didn't think so. Krum was tall, but Ron was taller. And he would not, not, _not_ think about Victor Krum.

He wasn't going to look any better, so he might as well wait in the common room, Ron decided. Harry and Neville had both already wished him luck. Luck, did he need luck? Yes, he did.

Ron forgot whatever he had been thinking about when Hermione stepped onto the girls' stairs.

She was beautiful. And wearing a dress, which Hermione almost never did. Not like her Yule Ball dress, but a nice… wool, maybe?- dress with sleeves, and it came down to her knees, and she wore long stockings under it. Ginny liked things like that sometimes, or Ron wouldn't have known the right words. She wore her winter cloak over it, a mix of muggle and wizarding clothes.

And Ron was standing there in his Hogwarts school robes feeling like an overgrown child. They didn't have to wear their uniform on the weekends, and plenty of the students wore muggle clothes, especially the muggleborns, but not just them. Ron had some trousers and jumpers, though it seemed that almost all of the jumpers were maroon with an "R" on them. But he usually just wore his robes on the weekend- and actually, Hermione usually did too.

But, that was good, wasn't it? That she wore something special? Even if he looked like a buffoon with his ankles showing unless he slouched?

She hadn't slicked her hair straight like for the ball, but it was plaited, in one big plait that came around to her shoulder and was tied there with a little black thing.

And now she was standing in front of him, and his face was probably redder than his hair, and he hadn't said anything.

"Beautiful," he said, because at least that was honest, even if it wasn't really a sentence.

"Breakfast before we go?" she asked. She was smiling, so he was probably doing okay.

"Yeah, I'm starving," he said, because when she said it, suddenly he was. And that was good, right? Normal, at least.

*****Severus*****

At some point, going to Hogsmeade the same Saturdays as Harry (and most of the population of Hogwarts third year and above) had become less of a chore and more of an enjoyable day spent in Dora's company, staying largely out of Harry's way, but with an awareness of where the boy was at all times. It was really a shame that that map didn't extend to Hogsmeade as well, though then he might not enjoy himself as much, sitting in a corner at the Three Broomsticks and staring at some old parchment, and that couldn't give him the full picture anyway.

He was aware that this hovering made him resemble the sort of overbearing parent that he despised- the type that would write to _him_ to ask why their child had received anything less than an "E" in his class…. he'd even received a few quickly dispatched howlers over the years. But he wouldn't watch over Harry's shoulder for anything as unimportant as marks. Harry could at any time be in life-threatening danger, an unlikely occurrence for most of his peers.

Anyway, the boy did very well in his classes overall, if occasionally lacking in the… less stimulating courses such as Astronomy or Arithmancy. Well, Severus only appreciated a few applications of Arithmancy, and in his opinion Astronomy class was time that would be better spent with children sleeping. Nothing other than the sun and Earth's moon had been proven by any reliable method to affect even magical _plants_ , and certainly not humans or other creatures.

"So Severus, where do _you_ want to go?" Dora asked beside him. They had already been to Honeydukes, which was nearly always her first request. Dora particularly enjoyed chocolate frogs. And perhaps Severus did as well.

"There should be a book waiting for me at Tomes and Scrolls," Severus said. A text that he didn't expect to be particularly useful, or he would have retrieved it days ago.

"Well, come on then," Dora said, tugging at their interlocked fingers.

Tomes and Scrolls was a relaxing place, even on a Hogwarts Hogsmeade weekend, because large numbers of students seldom visited, and they were quiet and well-behaved when they did, so he didn't get as many stares. Though in the last year of Harry going to Hogsmeade and Severus and Dora going as well, the students seemed to have come to accept and therefore ignore them. It did help that by now, few really knew her when she had been a student.

"Look who's here," Dora whispered with a nudge.

Severus looked over to see Hermione Granger sitting on the ground, back to the shelves, engrossed in a text, as though it were a library instead of a book store. Ron Weasley, sitting beside her with a book also open, wasn't looking at the pages at all, but at the witch beside him, their crossed legs touching at the knees.

"Aren't they so cute?" she said, now pulling him towards the counter, which Severus was more than willing to follow. Weasley and he would both be uncomfortable if the boy ever looked their way, though that didn't seem likely at the moment.

*****Harry*****

Harry wandered around Hogsmeade with Neville, Ginny, Luna, and Colin. Colin would go right up to each window, taking them in each store and then disappearing around the store until he was ready to round them up and go to the next door down. Harry admired the enthusiasm, and it made Harry feel older and more confident that he knew his way around the small village.

Luna was funny in a way that wasn't like anyone else. It wasn't exactly obvious, but nothing about Luna Lovegood was subtle, and it was best at Zonko's. She could have these deep conversations, and then the next time you see her, be pondering over whether or not something would deter or encourage wrackspurts.

"What are wrackspurts?" Harry asked Ginny in an undertone.

"According to Luna, some little thing that goes in your ears and makes your brain go fuzzy. If they're real, only Luna can see them, but I like to say I've got them sometimes," she grinned.

"Oh, they're invisible. And you don't have to worry, because they don't go near _you_ , Ginny. I'm afraid they like Harry very much though," she commented, large eyes blinking, before a different display caught her eye and she wandered off.

"Yeah, they're invisible like the _winged horses_ that pull the carriages," Ginny whispered when Luna was out of ear shot. Neville whirled around quickly, looked at Harry before ducking his head and walking towards where Luna went off to.

"Actually, those _are_ real," Harry said. "Hagrid told me about them and showed them to me. I felt one and saw food disappear as it ate. And some people can see them," Harry informed her, though he didn't want to say more, and hoped she wouldn't ask, because he wasn't sure what he'd say. If Luna could see them… she had seen someone die. And Harry was just as sure that Neville had too. Because even though the wizarding world was supposedly quiet and happy for almost all of their lives, people still died all the time, and everyone had their own troubles in life. Ron had said that Luna had lost her mother, but now, Harry realized that Luna must have been there when it happened, which seemed like it would be worse.

The older he got, the more often he was lost in thoughts, or maybe he always had. Maybe it _was_ wrackspurts.

But if Luna was enjoying her day, then Harry could too. Neville was over talking with Luna now, or rather she was talking about something in the store and Neville was listening. Harry watched students pass by the window. Draco was walking and talking with Laura, his seeker, and Harry wondered if it was about quidditch or just hanging out, or… Did third years date now? Harry hadn't noticed that anyone did when he was a third year.

 _Wrackspurts_ , there were definitely wrackspurts everywhere.

 **A/N: Luna is one of my absolute favourites, and I thought it was time to give her more time here. Let me know what you think! Again, posting early this week because tomorrow is super busy.**


	78. Chapter 78 Valentine

Chapter 78- Valentine

*****Harry*****

"So, how'd it go at Hogsmeade?" Harry asked Ron when they were alone late that night.

"Hogsmeade, Hogsmeade was great," Ron said, though he didn't sound very happy. "I bought her a book I could tell she wanted, and she bought butterbeers- she wanted to. It was great. But after that- I'm surprised you haven't already heard. Maybe it wasn't as bad as I thought," he grumbled.

"What happened?" Harry asked.

"Well, I thought I'd- I must have heard about… I had this idea about walking a Hermione to her door and having a- a good-bye kiss, and I- thought the day had gone well enough. So, Hermione's walking up a few steps ahead of me, and I start following her. And I'm on the second step when the whole thing turns into a slide, and I fall back on my bum, Hermione just after me, and I kinda catch her. Did you know that would happen? The founders didn't trust the boys or something, because Hermione's definitely been in our room. And maybe that wouldn't be so bad and we could laugh it off or something, but five or six first year girls come falling down, _screaming_. I don't know why they were screaming, it wasn't _that_ steep, but a couple of them did fall backwards. And I can't get up in time, and these little girls fall onto us, still screaming until they're laughing at me, and everyone in the common room starts in- fortunately I guess a lot were still coming in from Hogsmeade, so it wasn't _too_ many but-" Ron seemed lost.

"That's rough, mate," Harry answered.

"But the worst part was realizing that Hermione was just going upstairs. She didn't even look back, or she'd have seen that I was going to follow her. _She_ didn't plan on us having a good-bye kiss, and I thought it went well. She said she had a good time. She even said she'd go with me to the next one- for half the time, like I asked- I really don't mean to be ditching you. But if- if she didn't think we should… you know, then I don't know what she thinks at all," Ron said.

"At least she didn't slap you?" Harry offered, wondering if it was too soon for a joke, even at Harry's own expense. Most of the school had seen Padma slap him, and probably heard why too, and it had even been in the paper. Though maybe it wasn't really as bad, because Harry wasn't really trying to date Padma… probably.

"Yeah, so it could've gone worse," Ron said, smiling a bit. Boys made more sense than girls.

*****Dora*****

Harry wanted something- she knew that kid look, and he was looking at her, not at his father.

"So, we learned about the Imperius Curse in Defense Against the Dark Arts class this term," Harry started. So they definitely talked about the other two as well, Dora surmised. That was like Mad-Eye, not sheltering the kids. And now Harry wanted to know something.

"He said that aurors were trained to resist the curse. Can you do that, Dora?" he asked. That wasn't promising if he wanted what she suspected.

"I-can, and have done so in training environments. Severus, have you ever-" probably not the best question to put him on the spot with when Harry was around, but Severus wasn't really the sheltering type either. He and Harry talked very honestly.

"I have never been placed under the Imperius Curse," Severus replied. Dora was almost surprised, since he had been through so much in life. He had once alluded to torture that Dora would guess included the Cruciatus Curse. And she loved when he trusted her with such details, though she usually tried to keep him on happier subjects. If they talked about danger, it was usually present or future risks.

"Well, Professor Moody said he could teach me if you said it was alright. He was a good teacher for you, wasn't he, Dora?" Harry asked, clearly looking for an ally. Oh _good_ , relief set in a bit, which was strange, given the question. She had thought that Harry was going to ask _her_ to train him, and she definitely couldn't. Metamorphmagus training, that was easy. An Unforgivable Curse…

Dora looked over at Severus, who was watching Harry.

"He was an excellent teacher," Dora said honestly.

Harry smiled, "So, can I, Dad?" Harry asked. The boy asked to be hit with a curse that would normally put someone in Azkaban for life. But Moody would do it anyway in the name of preparing his charges for danger. Maybe he'd get official clearance like he did for auror training, maybe he wouldn't. Dora was certain the man would want to train the Boy-Who-Lived, and Dora was in favour of anything that could possibly protect Harry.

"What do you think, Dora?" Severus asked.

That was big. She knew that Severus valued her opinion, but this was a parenting question- and it wasn't the first one he'd asked, but this was something Dora was taking increasingly seriously after her last real talk with Harry. She couldn't remember being happier than with all of this. Practically his _mum_ , he had said.

"I think it would be a good skill to learn, to strengthen his mental magic, and he couldn't ask for a more experienced teacher. I think you'd catch on pretty easily, Harry. I'd be more than willing to be there if you want. Or, Severus, you might enjoy learning something new as well," Dora suggested. She had a feeling that even if he trusted her old teacher these days, he'd want to be there for that.

Severus nodded, "You have my permission so long as Dora or I are present. Ask him when he would be able to meet with you," Severus said, remarkably agreeable, given what Dora knew of his past with Mad-Eye.

"Thanks!" Harry said, already leaving, such an interesting boy. Though Dora would have jumped at the same opportunity at that age, and she would guess that a young Severus would have as well. That didn't make any of them _normal_ but it did let them understand each other.

*****Harry*****

Harry stood in the Defense Against the Dark Arts room, more nervous and excited than he had been for a lesson in a long time- and he had learned a lot of great things before.

"Shall I go first?" Dora offered. Both Harry's dad and Dora were there. Dora stepped right in front of her old mentor, and no one objected.

"Imperio," Moody said forcefully. Nothing visible happened, no flash of light or anything. "Kiss my feet," the man instructed.

"Feet? You only have one. And you're getting weak, old man," Dora declared, still smiling. She was good. Harry couldn't really tell that anything had happened to her. And maybe it _was_ difficult for Moody because he cared for her, but Harry knew from class that Mad-Eye Moody was a powerful wizard.

"And you are an unpleasant young wench," Mad-Eye said familiarly, frowning with his sharp features.

"Harry?" Dora offered. "Don't worry, he won't tell _you_ to kiss his foot, and you don't have to do it right the first time. I didn't," Dora coached. "You've just got to listen to the voice and decide that you don't want to do what it says."

"Yeah, okay," Harry said, stepping forward.

"Imperio," Moody cast again.

It felt more wonderful than Harry could describe. Not quite flying, but floating, light, care-free.

Moody's voice sounded calm and echoing, _Jump up and down_.

That would be fun, he almost thought.

 _Why?_ He questioned.

 _Jump up and down,_ the voice kindly asked again.

Harry felt himself jump once, and felt both even better and terrible. You failed, a familiar inner voice told him, when the other voice was trying to say that everything was great, that he should keep jumping.

 _No, no, no, no, no_. He wasn't sure if he said it aloud or not.

"Good," Moody said, and Harry knew that his professor must have let the curse drop.

"I can do better," Harry insisted. It wasn't good, he'd still jumped.

"Imperio," Moody answered, because that was the way he was.

Harry wasn't ready, was all he had time to think before the weightless brightness came over him again.

 _Jump up and down._

 _No._

 _Jump up and down._

 _No_ , this was a terrible curse that could make him kill people he cared about, his inner voice screamed. He had to beat it.

"No," Harry said, and this time he was sure it was aloud, and Harry was out of the curse. He wasn't sure if Moody dropped it or Harry just beat it, but he'd not done the hopping at least.

"Well done, child," his professor praised. That felt good. Harry wondered if he should ask to go again. But he was sort of tired, like after a long Occlumency session.

"Severus, would you like to try?" the man asked, politely for Moody.

"Yes," his father answered tensely.

"Very well," Mad-Eye said with a smile, "Imperio," and again nothing seemed to happen. Except maybe Harry's dad was breathing harder. He didn't seem relaxed like Harry had felt. "Jump up and down," the man instructed, like he had to Harry.

"No," Harry's dad answered, but he didn't seem totally okay.

"Good," Moody said, dropping his wand.

"Again," his father said.

"You'll be fine, you stubborn young man. And you've got this one," he said, tilting his head towards Dora.

It was a little strange hearing someone call his dad a young man, but Mad-Eye did seem pretty old, and he knew that for a wizard, his dad wasn't all that old- a lot younger than Ron's parents, for sure, but they had older kids.

*****Harry*****

On the fourteenth of February, Hermione received roses and chocolates at breakfast by owl from Victor Krum. Had there been so many owls going around on Valentines morning last year? Lockheart had made everything _awful_ two years ago, but Harry couldn't remember anything about last year, and certainly not his first year. Hermione tucked away the gifts in her bag, but she was blushing and smiling. The flowers were definitely going to get crushed before her first class.

"Here you go," Ron said, handing over a sort of dented brown paper box, which Hermione, who sat between Harry and Ron today, opened cautiously.

When Harry saw what he'd gotten, it looked like he'd been to a muggle office supplies store.

"It's not as… traditional, but I went to a new store in town- Ottery St. Catchpole- but it wasn't till after Christmas. And I- thought of you, with your revision tables and. I mean, I'd learned about pens in Muggle Studies, but they have so many colours that you- go over normal pen, not marking them out. Highlighters! And little bits of sticky paper so you could stick them in books without really writing on the pages- which I'll never do again, I swear. But I- didn't think you had any at Hogwarts, so I got some for you and for me and… thought you might like showing me how to use it all properly?"

"I'd love to, Ron," Hermione answered, and she did sound touched. It was sweet, really. Really thinking of Hermione. Harry used to wonder why Hogwarts didn't adopt some logical muggle things but- he had never asked, and he supposed Hermione didn't try to do something about it either. Because if any student could change it, it would be Hermione.

Harry was distracted by the twins making a scene.

"Oi, who's sending our baby sister flowers?" Fred Weasley demanded loudly, standing on the Gryffindor bench.

"That's right, cut it out," George said, "She's way too good for you."

"And now there's sweets too!" Fred exclaimed. "Two _different_ boys?"

"Sit down, you idiots," Ginny hissed. They were many seats down, but everyone could hear now. "You didn't protest when Ron gave Hermione a gift. So it's alright for him but not me? Sexist are you now?" she asked.

"No," Fred said quickly.

"Then you have to accept that I'm a woman now and-"

"Woah, no, hey, you're not a woman, you're a _sister_ ," George explained, grinning more than Fred was. "Didn't you understand that years ago?"

"That's what you would say when I was a kid. But now I'm not, and you can't be so surprised that someone would notice."

"Even if you weren't a sister, you aren't old enough to be a woman. You're not even fourteen!" Fred objected.

"When Hermione was thirteen, you called her a mature young woman," Ginny pointed out. How was Hermione dragged into this again? Harry did think that sounded familiar from a conversation on the train.

"Must have been George," Fred said, maybe too quickly, but Harry thought they were losing the argument.

"Nope, not me," George said, looking back behind Harry at Hermione.

"And If I did, I was just a foolish, young fifteen-year-old then, instead of nearly seventeen. And maybe, _maybe_ when _you're_ fifteen- oh no, George, we won't be here anymore," Fred said.

"Ron, you'll have to keep the boys away then, and come up with a reason for fifteen not to be old enough to date either!" George declared, smiling widely, but sat down again, and Fred followed.

"Er-" Ron looked between Hermione and his family. "Just tell me if you need anything, Ginny?" he asked.

George started laughing.

Ginny still hadn't said who the gifts were from though, and Harry was- a bit curious.

*****Severus*****

"Lucius, what do you have to report?" Severus asked the grown wizard sprawled in his armchair. Severus was inclined to call him sulking.

"Nothing," the man replied. "Nothing of any substance." He looked worse than when Severus has last seen him.

"No information on who is helping our old master?" Severus sought confirmation, though he thought Lucius would be forced to 'volunteer' the information anyway.

"It must be someone new, like that Quirrell. I knew- more than anyone else did, the extent of the identity of his followers. I helped some avoid Azkaban. I have spoken to every follower of significance from- before, everyone who isn't dead or in Azkaban, everyone I knew. I even went _there_ to confirm that no one but Sirius Black ever escaped. And the old muggle manor you directed me to showed nothing either. It's either a new follower, or a near-no one from before. I doubt he even has the mark. Why am I doing this? Have you even spoken to my son?" Lucius demanded. The man was scared, and with good reason. He was taking considerable risks.

"Draco is willing to sit down with you after you have been successful," Severus said. "I believe he is impressed with your efforts," he added, because the man needed to hear something.

"I'll let you know when I know more," Lucius said. "As it is my _foremost_ aim in life, I believe I have to spend more time searching than I do anything else, including _sleeping_. And I am counting this time. Good day, Severus," Lucius Malfoy said, taking his leave.

Severus maintained that he was generous enough just letting the man through the floo so he did not have to deliver the message on his knees. For all the worthless news he had to share. Severus did not have time to feel sympathy for Lucius Malfoy when he had his son to protect.

*****Severus*****

"I fail to see how Severus's presence is needed. It is more consideration than needed allowing both boys' heads of houses to be present. I hardly feel that _parents_ are appropriate," Karkaroff accused. "Or will we be calling for the other Champion's parents as well?" Severus was glad that Slytherin did not have the indignity of having produced this wizard.

"I am here because it was apparently discussed that _I_ take part in this folly that my son should not be a part of to begin with. And I refuse to be unconscious while my son is placed in such danger," Severus snapped back. "As he is still a minor, I insist upon being part of this discussion."

"I believe anyone who has seen Harry with you would agree that you are who Harry would miss most, Severus. Don't you think so, Minerva?" the old man asked his closest crony, who was smiling. Pomona was nearly cooing- as if he were a _kitten_ , not a respected colleague.

"I think this Miss Granger would be a suitable hostage for Victor," Igor said, and it irritated Severus far more than was called for. He was angry on behalf of Ron Weasley, and he knew it.

"A fifteen-year-old girl he met a few months ago? Really? Then why will she be going to Hogsmeade with the youngest Weasley boy in a matter of days? I find it more likely that you wish your champion to only have to tow a small girl to the surface, while you expect a fourteen-year-old boy to drag a grown man. I believe it would be more accurate to select his mother."

"Oh, and _you_ are one to protest such a relationship?" Igor dared.

"What about Tonks?" Pomona said. "I'm sure she would agree to be held captive for Harry," Dora's former Head of House volunteered her. And Severus knew it to be true. He held violent wishes for Igor Karkaroff. And the man was never more than a week away from another break down. "As for Mister Diggory, I believe Miss Chang to be appropriate. They have been seeing each other for some time now, and I know Cedric believes it to be very serious."

"Splendid, Pomona. Olympe, do you have a choice for Miss Delacour?" Albus asked. At least the man was a sense of order that day, rather than being part of the problem.

"Her little sister. She ees young, but ze are very close," the Beauxbaton Headmistress said.

"Be careful, Olympe, or Severus will object that the girl is too small," Karkaroff groused.

"Does Victor Krum have a little sister as well?" Severus asked. It was ridiculous. He was interfering largely for the comfort of a few teenagers. And Minerva would likely know, the cat.

That actually made the man thoughtful. "A younger brother- who we expect to be a great quidditch talent as well. He is doing quite well in the under sixteen league, and he is only twelve," the man found an opportunity to brag- as if he could take any credit.

"Good, good. Would each Head of School speak to the parents of the volunteers, and Severus, you to Miss Tonks?" Albus organized. Volunteers? This didn't sound like volunteering. He had thought the Weasley boy the most likely choice but- it wouldn't hurt to discuss the matter with Dora for her consideration.

It would be safe, Severus reminded himself.

Perfectly safe.

And she could handle herself if something were to… Or she could refuse and one of the children would do it unquestioningly, the brave little ignorants.

This was an insane, inane competition, and he wouldn't get a decent night of sleep until it was over and they were in New Zealand.

 **A/N: The second task is coming soon. I have a real and growing compulsion to tell you all where the story is going, but I will resist! Please review because they keep me going!**


	79. Chapter 79 The Second Task

Chapter 79- The Second Task

*****Harry*****

Harry knew what he needed to do; they'd planned for months. He would eat his gillyweed, swim down to where the merfolk lived, find Dora, and bring her back up, ideally within the hour time limit, but he didn't think it would take that long. He wasn't _quite_ sure where in the merfolk village the hostages would be, but figured it would probably be obvious because they wouldn't want four young outsiders going through their homes.

Harry had thought about it before, but the crowd of students made him think of it again- this would be a terrible task for the spectators to watch. And their expectations must have been so high after the first task with the dragons.

Krum was in Durmstrang coloured swimming trunks, and Cedric in Hufflepuff black and yellow ones. That would have been smart- Harry did have red swimming trunks, but he'd grabbed the blue ones that he'd found first without planning that out. Of course, he and Cedric weren't really representing their own houses. Maybe Cedric hadn't put much thought into it either, and Harry's mind was latching onto insignificant details as he shivered. Warming charm, he reminded himself.

Ludo Bagman was talking again, but until he said it was ready to go, Harry was just going to ignore him.

And Fleur… looked really good. She had been wearing robes that she slipped out of just when Bagman told them to gather around the water's edge. Her suit was silvery, like her Yule Ball dress. She must like the colour.

The task, the task, Harry scolded himself, as Bagman gave them the signal to start.

Harry tried not to pay attention to anything else as he waded into the water, chewing the gillyweed he'd had in a secure pocket of his swimming trunks- his dad had done the spelling on those for him. He must look strange, eating something. The water was cold, even with his warming charm. Harry tried not to pay attention to anything else, though he did notice that Fleur used the bubble-headed charm- because he might have still been watching her a little.

By the time Harry finally had his gills and was in the lake properly, none of the other champions were in sight- not that he could see that far in the murky water. But, he wasn't cold anymore, and was near weightless. After the painful bit with the growing gills, it really was great. He'd have to do it again sometime when he didn't have a… mission.

Orienting himself correctly in the water was more difficult the further he was from the shore, wondering if he was still going the right way. Once he couldn't see much light from above, even up and down were difficult to distinguish.

Where was he now? The merfolk lived on the furthest part of the lake from Hogwarts, but the champions had entered halfway around, not the entry location that Harry and his father had practiced. He should have asked for some more gillyweed to explore more with sooner, but then Harry knew his dad would have insisted on coming too, and he clearly didn't enjoy it like Harry did.

That particularly long bunch of sea weed or something- Harry had seen that before, probably. It was also where the grindylow had been, so Harry proceeded with caution, sending the impedimenta jinx into the weeds before swimming all the way over them, like he had before.

Instead of one or two surprised grindylows, he saw Fleur Delacour with four or five of the little water demons on her, no bubble around her head, one of the grindylows around her neck and hair. And she was barely moving.

Had Harry just made that worse, or had she already been…? Now, how could he…?

Harry was upon her before he had much of a plan beyond getting rid of the one on her head.

Their fingers were strong but brittle, he remembered from Lupin's class. Tearing at the beast with his hands. Three fingers made a cracking sound, sickening underwater, and it was away from her neck. _Diffendo_ , Harry thought. And the grindylow split in two and it was… worse than Harry would have expected if he had thought enough to expect anything. The other grindylows left, which was good, because Harry could waste the time to-

Could he force gillyweed down her throat? Bubble- bubble- what was the spell? Harry must have been thinking it hard enough, because a bubble formed around Fleur's head, filled with air from- the water or something, Harry didn't know the specifics. Fleur had lost consciousness and was just sort of… floating really still.

 _Accio_ , Harry thought, _accio water that she breathed in_.

A mouthful or two of water was pulled out of Fleur's forced open mouth.

 _Coughing_ , she was coughing. Good. Coughing was breathing. Breathing was not dead.

He needed to get her to Madame Pomfrey.

He didn't float as well as a fish person as he did normally, probably because he didn't have lungs filled with air. And Fleur wasn't heavy in the water, she even rose slowly with the air bubble, but she did make Harry unable to use at least one arm. He wasn't really sure which part of the surface he was supposed to go to now either, and the lake was large and… what if she had died back there- or still did? She had stopped coughing but was still breathing.

Harry noticed that he must have cut part of Fleur's hair when he was killing the grindylow. It wasn't a big piece, but some of the front, so she'd have to notice. And she was hurt from the demons, bleeding from cuts and scrapes. The strap of her swimming suit broken on the side the grindylow had been by her neck, the side that now had the piece of shorter hair. There was another tear on her stomach, and various cuts on her bare legs that Harry was trying not to look at. Hopefully the blood wouldn't attract something worse.

Harry instinctually gasped for air when his head broke through the surface, but that made him feel far worse. Gills, he had gills right now.

Not much further. And then he was supposed to go back down and face it all again for Dora… who wasn't supposed to be in danger. But Fleur wasn't supposed to have just almost died either.

The announcer, Ludo Bagman, was surprised to see them immerge, "AND it's Harry Potter, excuse me, Harry Potter _Snape_ , son of my good friend, Severus Snape. AND with him is Miss Fleur Delacour. From the looks of it, Miss Delacour is injured and needing assistance from Mister Potter Snape. The greatest showing of international cooperation that I have seen in many years, a commendable job-" the man went on, Harry trying to ignore him as he pushed towards shore.

The man was making Harry's job harder, as Fleur woke up.

"Arry?" he heard her say. The bubble was gone now, maybe broken by Fleur.

Harry tried to respond, but an awful gasping croak came out.

"I -ave to go back- they have my leetle sister, and it can't be my fault," she said, fighting him and crying. Harry kept pulling, because he was stronger right now and they were almost to the shore.

Madame Pomfrey had come out to meet them. So at least Bagman was good for something for alerting her that Fluer was injured. Fleur clung to Harry rather than going to the mediwitch. "Arry- will you get her for me?" she said in his ear. "I know I – 'ave no right-" and the witch was lifted out of the water. Harry looked up at the distraught witch and nodded, diving back under the water to try to retrieve two hostages instead of one. Could he take both at once? Fleur hadn't been that difficult.

Finding them hadn't been too hard, as he just went in the direction that a bubble-headed Cedric carrying Cho had come from, followed by a shark-faced Krum dragging someone who might have been a younger brother.

Dora. Harry had known that's who would be down there for him, but it was still a shock to see her so- helpless looking. A small girl who looked a lot like an eight- or nine-year-old Fleur floated, tethered next to her.

After Harry had dislodged both remaining captives with a single diffendo, and done a bit of threatening the merfolk, they had left him alone, but continued to follow him as he towed both unconscious witches to the surface. Harry grimaced as he had to pause to shove another, much smaller piece of gillyweed down his throat. He had almost made it on the one batch. Definitely wouldn't be inside an hour then. Maybe if the hostages hadn't been dressed in wizard robes with _shoes_ on even, they would have floated more easily.

When they finally surfaced, the captives awoke immediately, Fleur's little sister thrashing around wildly. Dora was a help there.

"Hey, hey, it's alright," she said, her calm voice soothing as the girl continued to speak in quieter French. She let Dora and Harry each grab an arm (awkward for Harry with the wide webbing on his hands) and swim for shore. "I want to hear the story for this one," Dora said over the girl's head.

Just as Harry felt his toes touch the gravel shore, still in neck deep water, Harry's father was around them. "You _had_ to rescue the little girl, Harry?" his father drawled.

Harry tried to protest but only the creaking noise came out.

His father sighed, smiling just a bit, "Of course you did."

He grabbed the child and led her the last two meters or so until the girl would be able to stand on her own. "Regardless, well done completing the damned task."

Dora gave his father a kiss as she went past. Bagman was still talking, but Harry wasn't paying attention.

Harry stood, glad to be free of the lake as well, only to gasp and sputter. How had he- oh he was just too tired of it all. His father pushed him back into the water. "You have _gills_ , child. Stay put until they dissipate and your lungs return to their normal function," he said, waving his wand in a familiar diagnosis spell. "You're uninjured and should not be bothered by the cold water until the gillyweed expires. Stay with your head above water and your neck _under_ ," he said, leaving the frigid water himself.

Harry's dad refused the offered blanket and used drying and warming charms on himself. He talked to Dora, though he didn't take his eyes off Harry.

The little girl Harry had sort of rescued was hugging Fluer, and both girls were crying. Harry stopped watching when Ron came crashing towards him.

"You alright, mate?" Ron asked, large smile on his face. Harry nodded and pointed to his throat. "Yeah, I remember. But hey, I was near the judges, and I think you'll get high marks for saving the French girl and her sister. Madame Maxime was saying how noble you were. If it was anyone but you, mate, I'd think you did it on purpose." Harry couldn't be annoyed at the friend who came out into the cold lake to talk to him, so he didn't protest. Harry saw Hermione waving and saying something from the lake shore (though he couldn't hear her with the hundreds of other students making noise). She hadn't ventured into the water, but Harry couldn't blame her.

Harry's gills were just closing up, an alarming feeling in itself when he realized he had to breathe again, when Fleur came out to join them, barreling into to Harry so that he had to take a step back while still crouched in the would-be chest-high water. Harry stood as the older girl wrapped arms around his neck and delivered swift, brief kisses, two to each cheek. "Thank you, 'Arry."

"It's nothing-"

"It eez a very important something to me. I will not forget eet, nor will anyone who knows my family, 'Arry. You are a good man."

"I- accidentally cut some of your hair. I'm sorry," was what Harry decided to say while the most gorgeous witch was still hugging him. _Smooth_.

"Eet eez just hair," she said. Fleur released him and walked back to her little sister hovering by the shore, smiling and waving at Harry.

"I can't help but look stupid around her. At least I didn't say anything," Ron grumbled when Fleur was out of hearing. Harry was dazed himself. "Hope Hermione didn't notice. Like I said, if it was anyone but you, I'd think you saved that girl just for _that_ ," Ron said, throwing an arm around Harry's wet shoulder as they both walked out of the lake, Hermione greeting them both at the shore.

Harry was more than ready to be warm and dry, and to forget the task ever happened- except maybe that end bit with Fleur thanking him. Even if he wasn't sure if he deserved it.

Harry was in the lead again for Triwizard Tournament points, by an even wider margin now- which didn't seem quite right, since he did finish outside of the time limit, but he wouldn't disagree. Not that winning was important… or not _that_ important.

Of course, especially at this point, he'd _have_ to at least try to win. It would be disrespectful to his fellow contestants not to _try_.

*****Harry*****

Harry was more entranced by Fleur and her hair than ever after the Second Task incident. He'd thought maybe she'd cut it all, because the short piece was still about shoulder length. Or she could make it more even and then cut the opposite side to make it match and that would be a style or something, probably. But instead, she left it how it was exactly. Sometimes she twisted it up, or put the rest of her hair up and left that bit down.

He'd heard her ask Cho, "Would it be against ze rules if I colour zis piece? Maybe blue?

"No, when I was a first year, there was a seventh year girl who always had crazy hair- pink purple, blue, whatever. And now she's dating Professor Snape," Cho answered.

"'Arry's father," Fleur said. And then Harry felt like he was just lurking around and left quickly, pretty sure that Fleur hadn't seen him, and hoping that Cho hadn't either. Fleur and Cho seemed to be good friends now, and Harry saw them together often at dinner, in the hallways, and at DA meetings.

And it was the DA meeting when Fleur arrived with Cho with a streak of short blue hair that Harry felt he _had_ to say something.

"Hey, Fleur?" he asked, "Could I- talk to you for a minute?"

"Come find me when you're done," Cho said, walking off, leaving them relatively alone, even though Fleur hadn't said anything.

"I- we didn't really talk after the second task and I just wanted- wanted to say that you really shouldn't feel grateful or anything, because I think sending that impedimenta jinx might have made it worse for you, and I shouldn't get credit for fixing my own mistake," Harry managed. "So, I'm sorry, for doing it and for not saying something earlier."

"Do you like my hair?" Fleur asked instead, touching the blue streak that was pulled back with the rest.

"I- it's nice, but I feel guilty about it," Harry said.

"I like eet because eet ees different. I always care about looking beautiful, but I want ozzer tings too. And I did feel spell. But ze grindylows hurt and pop bubble. With you zere, I know now I am okay. Without you, maybe, maybe not. And you saved Gabriella. She likes you very much, by ze way."

"Well, thank you," Harry said.

"No, H'arry, thank you," Fleur Delacour said, very carefully. "Now, eef we are done, I will go find Cho. I do not zink I am good enough to practice with you, 'Arry."

"I'm really not-" Harry started to try to say, but Fleur was already walking away, her high bunch of beautiful blond hair swaying behind her, the blue piece ending not far past the band.

Harry would go find Ron and do anything except talk about that. Or Neville. Neville was probably with the first or second years and the other boy probably needed to challenge his own skills sometimes instead of always helping others.

*****Severus*****

"Severus, you go to Hogsmeade so dependably these days, I may just need to make you an official chaperone and give someone else a break," the old cat grinned. "You even bring an _auror_ with you."

Severus sneered, "I treck to Hogsmeade in the capacity of Harry's father, rather than as a Hogwarts Professor. I have no wish to be responsible irritating urchins in my otherwise free time," Severus maintained. It was, perhaps, an overstatement.

"Well, Severus, other parents don't get to see their children on Hogsmeade visits, so really, _Severus,_ you are expecting a special privilege," Minerva pointed out, as if she had won.

"I believe, _old cat_ , you are out of touch. When was the last time you assigned yourself the duty of Hogsmeade chaperone?" he asked, to the witch's growing irritation. "Hogsmeade is a public place, and an easy shopping destination. Of _course_ parents sometimes visit their children on Hogsmeade weekends. We could do nothing to stop them if we wished. There are even private rooms at the Three Broomsticks that are favoured for such meetings," Severus elaborated. "And of course, there are the residents of Hogsmeade, were occasionally a student's parent lives, though now more often grandparents or great-grandparents due to the static, aging population," Severus went on for his own amusement.

"Then, I suppose I will see you on Saturday myself," Minerva said, walking off with her ever-maintained composure.

Good, because the witch was a more than capable ally. Severus found himself increasingly on edge as the tattoo on his arm appeared more prominent each time he gazed at the thing- which was as seldom as possible. Though in Harry's time, nothing bad had happened to the child at Hogsmeade, and plenty had at the fortified castle, so perhaps Severus was worried for the wrong time periods.

But there was no harm in accompanying the children to Hogsmeade from a distance. And Dora greatly enjoyed their dates.

*****Severus*****

"Oh, they are cute all together. Are Ron and Hermione okay though?" Dora asked. Harry and half a dozen other youths, including Ron and Hermione had just walked into the Three Broomsticks. Harry waived, but led his friends to a table far away from his father. "I thought their last date went well and they were going to go out again," she said.

When had he become as bad of a gossip as the rest? Because he had told her all of that at some point.

"Mr. Weasley suggested they spend the morning with their friends, but the two will spend much of the afternoon on their own, with Miss Granger's choice of venues. They are not precisely dating. Miss Granger has not refused the affections of either Mr. Weasley or Mr. Krum, and neither boy has protested. Or, if Mr. Krum has commented, it has not shown results," Severus summarized. It wasn't an unwise situation, since all parties were honest. Miss Granger was young to be tying herself to a serious relationship, and there were rumours that other boys had given Miss Granger considerable attention as well.

Though the teachers at Hogwarts would interpret an entire secret yearning from a few dances with various adolescents at a school event.

"You know it's so sweet how he talks to you for man to man advice," Dora said. And perhaps that comment did feel good.

"I am merely there when he does work for me, scrubbing cauldrons and preparing ingredients. Sometimes he chooses to talk, and it does not bother me as I mark papers."

"A role that you allowed so that he could have pocket money to 'court' Hermione without feeling uncomfortable," Dora summarized. And Severus had never said _that_. The witch was intuitive. He might even go as far as to use the ridiculously inaccurate idiom that she could "read his mind." _Reading minds_. As if all complexity of the human mind could be laid out in a linear fashion like a _book_ , and that was from a man who revered books. But Dora had ways about her, nevertheless.

 **A/N: Let me know what you think! I am very happy with this, though it is getting increasingly difficult to weave everything correctly. Wish me luck! The story will be over eventually, and I am already thinking on what I might write next. A Draco/Hermione one-shot came to me that I simply had to write, so I did. And I have an alternate version of In My Life Again written… But after that, I'm not sure.**


	80. Chapter 80 Business with Snakes

Chapter 80- Business with Snakes

*****Severus*****

The Department of Magical Games and Sports. Not a place Severus had ever intended to visit. He disliked the mere fact that the life-threatening tasks placed before his son were classified as a 'game or sport' or that it had any connection to the man he came to speak to.

"Severus!" Ludo Bagman greeted. "I am so glad to talk to you today. I asked around and heard recently from an old friend who works with the _Tornados_ that you and Harry attended a game this season, supporting the Magpies? I, of course, still support my Wasps, but the Magpies _are_ a promising young team. You really should have asked me about seats though. I could have gotten you much better ones, and at the right games, given young Harry a chance to talk to the players. There's a few games left, and I can get the two of you top seats. Even though I'm onto some bigger things these days, with the tournament, I'm still going to announce the Wasps last game of the season. They're not going to be in the Championships this year, but next year for sure, you know. I joined on a few years back as a minority owner, so I keep my hand in and do what I can. I'm sure they'd love to talk to Harry. In fact, this summer, I think I could get him on some summer reserve practices. Usually teams don't look at Hogwarts students before their sixth year, but young Harry has a lot of promise, as you well know."

It pained Severus to allow Bagman to blather on, but it was an easy way to learn about a person. Ludo Bagman was no mastermind. He didn't wish Harry dead. In fact, he probably wanted Harry to play for his old team, and have the credit for making that connection. Severus knew well that Harry was talented, but also that he had a famous name, that could make him marketable for that alone- which wouldn't be best for Harry's future.

"At the moment, my chief concern is protecting my son while he is in a life-threatening competition, and determining who entered my son into such a competition," Severus said, meeting Bagman's eyes.

"Well, I hope you know it wasn't _me_ ," Bagman frowned his normally cheerful face. "Though I _would_ bet on Harry winning the whole thing, if I had to," Bagman said smiling.

He wasn't lying, Severus knew from looking in his eyes and just a bit of Legilimency. The bit about betting was the only piece that stuck out. Severus surmised that Bagman had indeed bet on Harry.

"I know it wasn't you. That wasn't why I came here today," Severus invented. "I'd stay away from betting if I were you, Ludo," he said almost familiarly. Severus didn't think he'd used the man's first name in his life. "I understand that you never repaid Fred and George Weasley from their last bet. And I imagine that even five galleons would turn into a tidy sum considering the odds of their bet," Severus said. He remembered the twins giving the overgrown child before him the funny wand and Bagman calling it worth a five galleon bet.

"Oh, that wasn't a wager, really," Bagman brushed off easily. "Just a little toy. And those boys needed to learn to not rely on gambling."

There was some fitting metaphor somewhere. The pot calling the kettle black was not sufficient.

"Those 'boys' have now turned seventeen and are promising young businessmen whom I have taken under my personal advisement in some matters. Furthermore, they are quite admirable inventors and brewers. I suggest you not attempt further underhanded dealings with them, and to make this one right," Severus said mildly.

There was no reason for Bagman to know that Severus just came to check him off the list of suspects in entering Harry's name. If he could give any protection to two other boys, he would. And it would distract Bagman.

"Oh, well, now that they are of age, perhaps a new business deal could be met. A booth to sell goods at a _Wasps_ game, perhaps?" Bagman offered.

"Have a written offer with signature by the majority owner over to Misters Fred and George Weasley by the end of the month, including location and profit sharing agreement, with the line included that they retain all intellectual property ownership over their creations," Severus instructed. It could be a good audience for the boys, a first taste of having a store without most of the costs. Severus knew they would be interested and hoped they would listen to his advice on dealing with people like Ludo Bagman.

"Of course, Severus. I wouldn't dream of trying to cheat anyone under your care," Bagman said, and Severus chose not to dispute it. He still had one more visit that was likely to be even less fruitful.

Severus went back up two levels to the Department of International Cooperation towards where he believed Barty Crouch's office to be. Severus spent very little time at the Ministry. He hadn't been there since it was necessary as part of taking custody of Harry, but everything since then, even legally changing Harry's name, had been by owl. And before Harry, Severus hadn't been in the building since his own trial.

"Mr. Weasley, I need to have a moment with your superior," Severus addressed. He had written, but after more than a week without reply, he needed something to happen. It didn't help Severus's mood that nothing was happening with horcruxes, and that he had very little idea of how to properly prepare Harry for the third task. Severus had only heard so far that a _sphinx_ was being brought in. Severus's only advice there was to stay away from it and the creature wouldn't harm Harry, unless he answered the riddle incorrectly- which wouldn't happen if Harry didn't attempt the damned riddle to begin with.

But, finding out who had entered Harry into the tournament was important, because that person surely had a link to Riddle, and Severus could not allow himself to be distracted from that. Anyone with a connection to Riddle was someone that he could set Lucius upon to find more. However, Bartemius Crouch was even less likely to be in league with Tom Riddle than Ludo Bagman was.

The man had not even protected his own son from suffering for such a crime.

"I- you need an appointment to see Mr. Crouch, sir," Percy responded. He was nervous.

"He will wish to speak to me. Surely the tournament in which my son is a contestant is his chief concern at the moment?" It was mostly a lie, Crouch clearly didn't want to see him, or he would have answered Severus's owl. But all Severus really needed was to get a good look at his eyes.

"I- come this way, Professor," Severus's former student said, leading them to a further secluded area, though no one had been around them at the time. It seemed to be Weasley's desk, right outside a shut door labeled to be Crouch's. "Mr. Crouch isn't in," Percy whispered. "He isn't very often these days. I can take a message and ask him to get back to you when he is next in," the boy offered.

"And when do you expect that to be?" Crouch ignoring his work?

"I- don't know sir. Sometimes it's two days in a row, sometimes... I only saw him once between the Yule Ball and the Second Task, and I- haven't seen him since, sir," Percy answered, nervously looking around as if afraid they might be overheard. The Department of International Cooperation didn't seem to be a very large office. It fit with what he had heard years ago that Crouch had been shunted into a little used portion of the Ministry when his career fell apart. But all of this on Percy Weasley to function in his superior's absence… Crouch really must have been cracking up under the pressure to be missing work. What else did the man live for but his profession?

"I have questioned everyone else who would have been capable of passing the age line who was known to be in the castle that evening," Severus said. This wasn't really true. Severus had managed to speak with all of their "guests," the last one being Maxine, but he had not questioned each of the Hogwarts faculty or the Hogwarts students. And this trusting oversight would need to be remedied, especially after Quirrell.

Percy Weasley blustered up defensively, trying to look more imposing than he was naturally, despite his great height. "I will not stand here listening to anyone accuse Mr. Crouch of such a thing, even you, Professor," the young man said.

"It is merely a formality. I questioned Albus Dumbledore himself," Severus said, which was somewhat true.

Percy seemed somewhat more comforted by that, "I understand that, sir. But I am afraid that Mr. Crouch isn't here. He had considerable leave and sick time in reserve and has been a loyal member of the Ministry of Magic for decades," Percy defended. It was understandable for a person to be using reserved time from work up when he knew he might be… asked to leave shortly. Severus didn't actually know much about Crouch.

Severus would take a more direct approach, with a personal appeal then. "I understand your loyalty to your superior. And whatever flaws I believe Bartemius Crouch to have, I would not believe that he was willingly following the orders of Tom Riddle, nor do I believe that any person on earth has leverage over Barty Crouch." With his wife dead, who would he care for more than his job, if he had even loved his wife that much? "I also believe that he is a competent wizard who has been a highly respected and feared Head of Magical Law Enforcement. I imagine any changes in his behavior can be linked to career stress," Severus said discretely.

"So, you see, I don't think Barty Crouch would be connected to this plot with my son, but I was already at the Ministry to speak with Mr. Bagman, and thought it best to leave no person unexamined. Because someone has endangered my son, and _that_ person is connected to Tom Riddle," Severus said slowly.

"And Riddle is someone you would be familiar with from his attempt to steal the life and soul of your sister. Can you do this for me, Percy? Can you watch for any changes in important people in the Ministry, not just Mr. Crouch and Mr. Bagman? Will you keep your eyes open, Percy?" Severus asked, deliberately using the boy's first name, noting how the tallest Weasley boy (though Severus would bet young Ron would surpass him) stood just a bit straighter each time. And mentioning Ginny would be a reminder that Severus had saved her, and the Weasley boy wouldn't notice the emotional manipulation, probably.

"I will sir, _Severus_ ," the boy tried. Severus nodded. It would be good to have a set of eyes in the Ministry, honest eyes. And the boy was smart, when he was quiet enough to listen. And even if he didn't suspect the man, Severus would speak to Crouch himself the moment he stepped onto Hogwarts grounds again. He'd even set Milly to waiting for him that day.

And now he needed to return to the castle, talk to Milly, find out more about the third task, and speak to the Weasley twins again. Severus had not imagined himself a business advisor, but he would make sure that they were better off for his visit with Bagman, not simply sunk deeper with the man.

*****Harry*****

"Hey," Hermione said, sitting beside him. No one else was around, even Ron.

"Hey," Harry answered.

"It's been a big year for you," she said, "Taking your dad's name, practicing for the tournament so much with him. Leading the DA… all those _girls_ talking about you…"

And finding out he was a horcrux… which he still hadn't told his friends about. "Me? What about the boys interested in you? I wasn't the one getting Valentines presents," Harry deflected.

"It's because our male-led society expects the teenage boys to send the gifts, and the teenage girls to happily receive them. But, it _doesn't_ tell me when to do when two boys send me something. And I know I'm being terribly hypocritical criticizing the social norm without even _attempting_ to go against it, even hoping for guidance from it, which is ridiculous, and I've spent nearly a month agonizing over a holiday with emotional appropriation of some admittedly interesting historical significance. I truly thought that with a little research, I would disregard it more than I was able to, but historical appreciation should not have such sway over me to sink me into this turmoil," Hermione let out very… confusingly, in Harry's opinion. Harry really just got the point that Valentine's Day had bothered her.

"So- what did you do?" Harry asked.

"I wrote to my mother. And she wrote half a page telling me how glad she was that I was writing her, and another four pages saying that whatever I did was okay, so long as I was honest, and especially tried not to hurt my friends. And I realized that I had wanted her to just tell me what to do, but I appreciated her respect in me as a young woman to not do that."

"So- what are you going to do?" Harry asked.

"I've told Victor that I don't think we can be anything but friends," Hermione answered.

"That's- big," Harry said in what he hoped what neutrally.

"We just don't seem to have anything to talk about. I try to ask him about his past, his _culture_ , and he just doesn't really like to _talk_. And I love to talk, but I don't want to just listen to myself talk all the time- which I know seems like what I'm doing now. And he's said that the first thing that he liked about me was that I didn't like quidditch or fawn over him. But surely he'll learn that that's not unique. And I know that you don't have to have everything in common with someone you date, but it does seem strange to pick someone _because_ you don't have something in common that is _clearly_ the most important thing in his life. It's the only thing I've ever heard him talk about with any emotion as all, and that was to his little brother after the second task, and I only understood a few words of it."

"So… are you going to date Ron?" Harry asked, trying not to assume anything, to do whatever he was supposed to be doing as a listener.

"I don't know. And I've been talking about myself too much," Hermione said, cheeks pink. "How are _you_ doing? I've been thinking a lot about this Arithmancy assignment, and I'm just having more trouble with it than the others," Hermione said.

 _Arithmancy_. Harry would rather keep hearing Hermione talk about boys. Arithmancy was his worst class, behind History of Magic now, because he couldn't just write nonsense and pass. How Hermione could have such distaste for Divination, but respect Arithmancy, when they'd started working that year on a lot of future predicting stuff, but with numbers, was beyond him. Maybe that's why she didn't like the last assignment.

Harry had been thinking that he should have just taken Divination with Neville. After Trelawney's big prediction about a servant returning to the Dark Lord on that day last year (which would have lined up with Pettigrew) didn't happen, Neville took the class a whole lot better, and said he really just quickly made stuff up, so he could spend more time on other classes.

"It's going fine. I've been working more on my potions essay more," Harry said. Because no one could fault him for working Harder on his dad's class. He had a lot of other things on his mind. _And_ , because of the tournament, he wasn't going to have to take end of the year exams… so if he slacked off just a little, he'd have a whole summer to make up for it.

*****Severus*****

Dora had become a personal favourite of her superior, some man named Kingsley Shacklebolt. A favourite of this auror with an earring and an "amazing" African accent. How much of an accent could he have when he was born and raised in London?- which Severus might have looked up, along with learning that he was a Ravenclaw sixth year when Severus came to the school. Above average marks, but not remarkable, and he wasn't a prefect. Severus _might_ admit that he was a touch jealous of the man he had never met, who spent nearly every day with Dora, and sometimes into her evenings as well. And Severus sat, alone on his sofa.

Severus was saved from this moping by an unexpected intrusion of his personal space.

Lucius Malfoy staggered through the floo, reminding Severus that he hadn't barred Lucius from entry again. Lucius then proceeded to crash onto Severus's rug, the least dignified Severus had ever seen the man. The man was bleeding from his right hand, wand held in his left, which was not normally his wand hand.

"It bit me," Lucius mumbled, needlessly.

"Where is the snake?" Severus demanded, sinking to the rug and starting a healing charm. Lucius really should have been able to fix this himself… but Severus's charm did nothing. If anything, the wound bled more fiercely. "Hospital wing, now," Severus said, dragging his old friend to his feet and tossing in more floo powder. "Where is the snake?"

"Dead," Lucius answered, barely still conscious.

"Hospital wing," Severus shouted, stomach sinking.

Severus summoned two blood replenishing potions from the store room, and magicked them into Lucius's stomach, because he couldn't trust the man to swallow. Levitating the man into a bed was next. He should have been levitating Lucius earlier, of course. Damned muggle tendencies.

"Severus?" Poppy questioned, alarmed. Good, because calling Poppy had been next.

 _The snake was dead._

Testing horcrux removal on the snake was supposed to give him- them- the chance of removing it from Harry.

"The healing spell I tried just made him worse," Severus warned, as he ran back to the supply cabinet to see what there was for antivenoms. They would have to try something more generic and hope for the best. Anything more specific, Severus would have to brew, which would take considerable time.

"What was he bitten by?" Poppy demanded. "It won't stay closed for more than a few moments," she said, which was better than Severus had done.

"A snake," Severus answered.

A snake that was now dead, which was very bad for Severus. What was his wording of the unbreakable vow? It wasn't to kill Lucius unless he didn't try to the best of his abilities. Severus was not hateful enough to wish to kill a man for failure, but it did make the wording less powerful. So he was probably just fighting snake venom, not a curse.

Severus and Poppy sent two likely antivenoms into Lucius, and another blood replenisher.

Lucius was having no trouble breathing, no swelling, no signs that Severus feared from snake poisoning (not that he was an expert on the matter), other than the wound that wouldn't close.

"Oh, just wrap it tightly," Severus snapped. He couldn't be responsible for the death of his old friend, even if they weren't always good friends- couldn't be responsible for the death of his godson's father.

Bandages weren't often needed in a magical hospital ward, when most wounds could be closed with a swish of a wand, but they were there for some instances. If they could keep Lucius stable enough, Severus would have time to brew something. Otherwise, they might be able to make a new incision that _would_ heal with magic… but if it came to that, Lucius wouldn't likely keep the hand.

Poppy finished the wrapping, until Lucius's hand was a solid mass of white gauze. But, there wasn't any red showing yet… And they'd keep him on the blood-replenishing potions…

*****Harry*****

It had been a week even more rain than usual this time of year, when it was getting warm enough that Harry really wanted to spend time outside, flying more, or even just doing school work outside didn't sound too bad. But, instead of flying like they had planned, Harry had indulged Ron with a game of chess. Harry wasn't _bad_. He'd gotten so much better playing with his dad that he could usually beat Hermione, even though she'd read a few chess books that she'd reference occasionally. But Ron always seemed to come up with something.

Oh well, it was dark after dinner anyway. Harry looked forward to the long, summer days. He sort of thought that it was too bad that everyone went to their own homes in the summer, because it was really the best time to be at the castle.

"Ow," Harry said quietly, bringing his hand to his forehead.

"Oh, you can't fake a headache to get out of a loss. I just need-" Ron was talking to him, but it was getting hard to-

Pain. Building, awful pain. And- and anger, rage. Emotions that Harry knew were not his own.

Harry shut his eyes more tightly and focused on his strongest Occlumency techniques. He didn't know how long that took, but when he opened his eyes again, the pain in his scar was more of a dull ache. Harry hoped his Occlumency helped and it didn't just pass on its own. It had scared him, knowing whose emotions those were- Voldemort's, Riddle's... And it wasn't like last time when he was asleep. He'd been awake. Could Riddle… feel that connection too? Could he push it further, really hurt Harry, or worse, take control? Or- could Harry do the same? He was decently good at Legilimency… and if Riddle was weak… Why was Riddle so angry? Did he know what they were doing, destroying horcruxes? No, he couldn't even think about those.

"I need to see my dad," Harry muttered.

"Harry, what's wrong?" Hermione asked. So, maybe it hadn't been that long.

"My scar hurt. I need to see my dad," Harry repeated.

"Can you take the floo?" Hermione asked. "It's after curfew," she said.

"You alright?" Ron asked. "I didn't mean what I said about you faking."

"The floo only connects to McGonagall's this way, and only for floo calling," Harry mumbled, feeling mostly better. But his dad would want to know. And Harry needed to know if his dad knew anything.

"Then we'll go with you," Hermione offered, which was nice of her since it would be against the rules and all.

"I'll just go out the portrait hole and then call Milly," Harry said, now feeling more like himself.

"Okay," Hermione said slowly, looking at Ron, who nodded. They were just looking after him, but he'd rather go out before calling Milly, so he didn't make a scene in the Common Room.

Harry walked a little way down the hall away from the Fat Lady, who had warned him not to be out too long. But he could always sleep in the dungeon or come back through the floo.

"Milly?" Harry called, and his little elf friend popped up. Or at least, Harry thought of her as a friend. "Milly, can you take me to my other room to see my dad?" Harry asked. He hoped he wouldn't be interrupting an experiment, or a date with Dora, or anything.

"Master Potions Master is in the hospital wing," Milly said instead. That was good then. Probably just restocking potions, because Harry had never known him to go there otherwise, except when Harry was there, or maybe for a potions accident.

"Can you take me there?" Harry asked, holding out his hand, which Milly easily took and did just that.

The hospital wing was busy, frantic, over just one patient.

"Harry!" his father greeted. He and Madame Pomfrey were working on Draco's dad, the man's right hand all wrapped up in bandages, when normally, Madame Pomfrey could heal anything right away. Why wasn't he at the regular hospital- St. Mungos, or maybe there were more of them? Did he get hurt working for Harry's dad, trying to get the snake? "Harry, what are you doing here?" his father asked.

"Is Mr. Malfoy going to be okay?" Harry asked instead, thinking of Draco. Harry had gotten the idea that Draco wasn't on great terms with his dad right now, but he'd never want…

"He'll be fine. It was a small bite, and the venom has not been overly damaging, except making it difficult to close the wound, but we have plenty of blood replinishers. There is nothing to worry about, now why are you here, are you hurt?" his father asked, already casting a diagnosis charm.

"I'm fine. I-" Madame Pomfrey probably couldn't hear, and she seemed trustworthy anyway. "My scar hurt really badly, and I felt angry, and I knew it wasn't from me," Harry whispered. "The last time that happened, it was when I had that dream with the snake. I just wanted to see if you knew… why he was angry, but I guess that's why," Harry said with a nod to Mr. Malfoy. "And to ask if I should do anything," Harry said.

*****Severus*****

This was worse than Severus had been dreading, and too soon to have this conversation. "Unfortunately, Mr. Malfoy was not as successful as we hoped, but when he awakens, he might have some more information. Undoubtedly, Riddle hoped he would return as a follower, and it became apparent that that would not be happening," Severus explained vaguely. He hadn't planned what he would say- he hadn't had time. "Right now, you need to practice your Occlumency and not fall asleep," he instructed.

If Harry fell asleep now, his mind would be weaker, and he might see… that the snake was dead. And since that was the last horcrux, Severus couldn't afford… Would a dreamless sleep potion prevent such visions? They weren't precisely dreams. "You've got that? Practice Occlumency and don't fall asleep, for several more hours," Severus repeated for his own well-being. "And when you do need sleep, take a Dreamless Sleep potion," Severus said, summoning the correct potion to him. "And if anything else happens, come right back to me, okay?"

"Yes, sir," Harry replied. Was the boy looking tired? It wasn't that late, but the emotional toll…

"The bandages seem to be holding," Poppy said behind them.

"I have to deal with this and talk to Draco," Severus said. "Will you be alright?" he asked Harry. Of course the boy wouldn't be 'alright'. He was a fourteen-year-old with a horcrux in his head, and Severus was no closer to a viable, safe way to remove it.

Milly took Harry back to his rooms, and Severus returned to Lucius Malfoy's side. The Malfoys were always pale, but Lucius did look especially ill, despite all of the potions they had put into him.

"I am worried about that wound still seeping. Blood-Replenishing Potions are not a very long term plan," Poppy said.

"I will attempt more specific brews. The muggle way takes some time to heal, if he must wait on that," Severus said. If that even worked. But, Lucius hadn't bled out yet, if only because there was only one bite, and it could have been worse. And the unbreakable vow hadn't killed him…

They were lucky that no children had been in the ward that night. But, Severus needed to speak to Draco and Narcissa, and he owed more to Draco, so the boy would be first.

 **A/N: Not what you were expecting, I hope? Please leave a review!**


	81. Chapter 81 Alternate Plans

Chapter 81- Alternate Plans

*****Harry*****

Milly took back him right into the Gryffindor common room, and Harry thanked her before she left. Harry toyed with the vial of Dreamless Sleep potion between his fingers. The common room was mostly empty, except for a few older year students, but none that Harry knew well, and Ron and Hermione, waiting for him.

"You okay, mate?" Ron asked.

No. "Ye- sort of. Not really," Harry answered. The other two shared a look.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Hermione asked gently. Harry wondered if Hermione would be very different if she weren't an only child, if she were an older sister, or a younger one. How would Harry be different? Of course, then a lot of things would probably be different… Ron wouldn't be the same without all of his brothers and sister. Harry didn't know what made him think about any of it.

Hermione had led them over to their favourite arm chairs. He might as well…

Harry cast the silencing spell that his dad had taught him.

"So… my dad's been working on some secret stuff, ever since looking at Riddle's diary," Harry said. Ron nodded gravely. "And he told me some- maybe all- of what he was doing with Professor Dumbledore," Harry said. And the one that Harry had destroyed one himself, and Draco had too… And really Dora had destroyed the locket. "But I wasn't supposed to tell anyone, but now he said I could, but just you two, so you can't tell anyone," Harry said apologetically.

"So… what was that book that hurt my sister?" Ron asked.

"It was a horcrux, a really dark magic, a part of Riddle's soul that he left in a physical object. And it wasn't the only one that he made," Harry said. "And, he didn't really die when I was a baby, because he can't die until all his horcruxes are destroyed," Harry explained.

"And this has something to do with your scar hurting," Hermione said, frowning. She really was the brightest witch of their age.

"Yeah. It seems that when he- Riddle- tried to kill me, when he failed, he accidently left a piece of his soul behind… in me- in my scar, I guess."

"Oh, Harry!" Hermione exclaimed.

"How are we going to get it out?" Ron asked. And Harry was touched by him saying 'we.'

"My dad's working on it. And on finding the rest of them," Harry said.

"I've never even _heard_ of horcruxes," Hermione said, frowning.

"I don't think it's even in the restricted section of the Hogwarts Library," Harry shrugged.

"Well, what am I- what are we supposed to do about it then?" Hermione said, wiping her eyes. Was she crying?

Harry didn't know what they could do, really. He sometimes felt like he was supposed to be doing more, doing everything. But… his father would say that Harry's job was to be a kid, to learn as much as he could, and to have fun.

"Work on your Occlumency, so that no one can find out what you know," Harry said. Because they needed to, and because it helped to have an assignment. "And if you want, help me practice for the third task," he said.

"Of course, we will," Hermione said, with a glance at Ron who was also nodding.

And they would. Because they were good friends. Harry had so many good friends. He really didn't want to have to leave them all. They would figure something out. His scar didn't hurt anymore, and he felt like himself. And, he was looking forward to some dreamless sleep.

*****Severus*****

There were only two seventh years still in the common room when Severus entered by floo. Severus gave them a raised eyebrow, and though he said nothing, he expected them in bed before he returned.

All the children were asleep in the fourth-year dorm, and Severus would take pains that they remain that way, except for Draco. The blond boy looked so young in his sleep. Silencing in place, Severus shook the boy gently. His wand was lit, so that Draco would know who it was.

"Wha- Uncle Severus?" the boy asked, squinting with hand raised. Childish in wording, even though his voice sounded closer to a grown man's.

"Your father is resting in the hospital wing. I thought you should know. You may see him if you wish," Severus said. The boy would be tired for his classes tomorrow, but Severus hadn't even considered that. Harry would've wanted to know if it was Severus there, and the boy had a right. "He will be fine," Severus said. Because he would be, even if they hadn't figured everything out quite yet. He was stable.

"I- think I want to see him," Draco said uncertainly.

"He is your father," Severus answered neutrally.

Draco looked around at the other beds. "They cannot hear us," Severus said. And Severus would know if one of them woke. Draco nodded.

"Did he- do what he was supposed to do for you?" Draco asked, as he fastened the dressing gown that Severus handed to him. The boy wore an old-fashioned sleeping shirt similar to those Severus owned.

"He did as much as I could ask of him," Severus answered. Even if it wasn't what Severus really wanted.

"Then I'll talk to him like I said I would," Draco answered.

"He may not be awake for much conversation. But if you wish, you may spend the rest of the night in the hospital wing. I still expect you to attend classes tomorrow, but I will send for your things," Severus instructed. Draco nodded again, buttoning his robe. "And I intended to floo call your mother as well," Severus said. Because the woman should know where her husband was. And she would be equally glad to see Draco, which Severus understood.

"Okay," Draco answered.

Severus led Draco back through the floo. And it appeared that Lucius Malfoy was more stubborn than they had expected. Severus arrived just in time to see the man throw a vial of Dreamless Sleep potion across the room. Doubtless, a simple refusal would not have fulfilled his need for the dramatic.

 _Poppy, another child for your care_ , Severus almost said. But offending Lucius wouldn't do him any good now.

"It is good to see you in good health, Lucius," Severus said instead. "I brought Draco to see you," he said instead.

"What happened, Father?" Draco asked, standing two meters from the bed still.

"I- cannot say," the man answered, frowning at Severus.

"Lucius, do you have any information for me that is time sensitive?" Severus asked. Because he did not wish to send a boy away from his injured father. And because if the snake was dead, Severus didn't care about much else. Nothing else was pertinent to caring for Harry. As ordinarily unacceptable as this logic was, it was what he had for the moment.

"No," the man replied, still looking at his son. They weren't touching or showing any outward affection, but Severus would wager that Lucius would have suffered worse if it brought Draco back to him.

"Shall I call for Narcissa?" Severus asked his old friend who could have easily been killed that day.

"Please," Lucius said, a word the man seldom used.

*****Draco*****

"Drink," Madame Pomfrey instructed Draco's father abruptly. "You wouldn't like me banishing it into your stomach when you're awake," she warned. A blood- replenishing potion, Draco recognized. "And you wouldn't need that one if you hadn't moved so much," the normally kind woman scolded Draco's father like he was a first year. Draco didn't mind hearing that in the least.

His father took the potion reluctantly in his left hand and drank it down.

He _looked_ mostly alright. Except for his right hand wrapped tightly in white bandages, a bit of red showing through in the middle. He was still bleeding, then.

"Young Mr. Malfoy, do you need anything?" Madame Pomfrey asked him more nicely.

"I'm fine, thank you," Draco replied. Even though a calming draught didn't sound so bad. "I'm glad you're alright," he murmured to his father.

"How are your classes?" Draco's father asked neutrally, watching Madame Pomfrey add another, tight layer of bandaging.

"They are progressing," Draco reported as if they weren't in the hospital wing. As if he hadn't told his father that he wasn't coming home not so many weeks ago. "Some students have allowed themselves to be distracted by the unusual activities of the year, but I have not," Draco said. It was mostly true. He was doing well in all of his classes.

"Well done. You always make us proud," he said. Draco's parents did say things like that often. And until a year or so ago, Draco had always believed it.

"Thank you," Draco said stiffly.

"Thank you for coming to see me," his father said. He said it quietly and Madame Pomfrey was on the far side of the ward by then. She moved quickly.

"Of course, Father."

"And your mother has quite some plans when you return home this summer. And I could be agreeable to a visit to France," he said.

 _This_. Draco's father thought that just because he was hurt and Draco was there, and glad he wasn't _dead_ meant that everything was okay now. It _wasn't_.

"I haven't decided where I will be spending my summer," Draco said in normal speaking voice. Madame Pomfrey could probably hear, and Draco didn't care.

"Haven't I suffered _enough_?" his father hissed. "I only did- anything for Severus to keep you safe. Because you have so clearly thrown yourself in with that boy. Our family could have been in a very different position, safe all sides."

Draco turned to the noise of the floo roaring up. His mother ran out of it. Draco hadn't seen his mother run since Draco was a small child, probably climbing on top of something to get attention. She hugged him forcefully, and Draco didn't try to stop her. He had been regretting denying his mother that hug at the train station.

And then she was still hanging onto Draco, but holding his father's undamaged hand.

"I will give you a few minutes alone," Uncle Severus said.

"You don't have to," Draco spoke up. "I was just saying that I wasn't sure where I would be spending this summer. And if I _did_ come- home, it would be different." Draco took a deep breath as his mother squeezed tighter.

"I'm nearly grown now, and I can make a lot of decisions for myself. And I _don't_ think any of us are better than anyone else, not even muggles. Maybe not even house elves. And I'm not going to only 'associate' with those you deem fit. I'm going to _date_ whoever I want- if she wants- a muggleborn or a- someone you wouldn't called a blood traitor. And you won't use that term or worse anymore, not in front of me, or I'll leave. I could marry a- a goblin, and I wouldn't bloody _care_ what you think ," Draco let out. He had never done that before, been so defiant to his parents. It was probably Weasley's influence.

Draco's mother was still hugging him. He couldn't do or say anything to make her hate him. And father wasn't yelling, though Draco knew he never would in public. And there were no other Malfoy heirs, so he'd have to deal with it. And his father loved him, even if he didn't act much like some people's fathers. Uncle Severus had said so.

"Draco, if you wish to stay the night, perhaps you will show your mother to bed as well?" Uncle Severus asked. Which was good because it was awkward.

"You'll stay, won't you, dear?" his mother asked. Of course he would stay, his father could have died. Even if he just threw a fit in front of Madame Pomfrey and Uncle Severus, Draco wouldn't leave.

*****Severus*****

"You can speak; they can't hear," Severus said, spells in place. They wouldn't be able to read lips either, if any of them could. Severus wouldn't have put it past the witch who had been their matron even when Lucius was at Hogwarts. "What happened?" he asked. Because even if it didn't really matter with the snake dead, Severus wasn't doing anything else that night, certainly not sleeping.

"I received a note with instructions. After saying increasingly dangerous things around the Ministry, I'll have you know. I'll have to do considerable work to insure that my reputation isn't ruined, and I expect to have your support in that, Severus."

"Keep talking," Severus said instead. Though he'd do what he could, for all that anyone would care what he thought.

"I went to the house it described, promised to meet- our former master. But I never saw him. Only his follower, and the man was in robes and his mask. And the _snake_."

"You said there was nothing time sensitive," Severus fumed. Because he felt like being angry. "But you knew where Riddle is?" Of course he knew a location. If he'd seen the snake, Riddle must have been nearby.

"I didn't see Riddle, but he would be near his snake wouldn't he? And you would know that already, Severus. And no, I didn't find that information _'time sensitive'_. If they abandoned that house you had me visit first, do you really think they would stay anywhere?"

No, of course he didn't, but he'd have to check regardless. "What of the voice?" Severus asked. "Of the Death Eater."

"I didn't _recognize_ him, or I would have told you. Male. Not terribly old or young, but I can't really tell you more, can I?" he snarked. Having a wound that magic wouldn't heal would do that to a person. "We talked for only a few moments before the snake came in and made it evident that it did not care for me, lunging at me like that. I blasted it to pieces, but clearly wasn't fast enough, and then I left, and made my way here, deciding that you would be best equipped to handle the situation. Do you intend to prove me wrong?" he ask, waving his bandaged hand.

"I'll need your memory for a penseive," Severus said. "And keep that hand still and elevated. Poppy brought you half a dozen pillows.

"I would love to give you the memory, but I can't seem to hold a wand right now," Lucius sulked, still gesturing with the hand.

"You still managed to kill the snake. Use your left," Severus snapped, holding his old friend the man's wand. "And you're welcome for saving your hand," Severus said.

Lucius nodded.

"I will not thank you for that," Lucius maintained. "But I will thank you that my son is speaking to me again, even in such a disrespectful manner," he said, carefully touching his wand to temple with his left hand and shakily drawing out a silvery thread. "And even if he is even stronger willed than his mother."

"Thank you, Lucius," Severus said. Because the man must have really done all that he could, or the curse would have killed him. The man didn't know why it was so important to bring the snake alive, and Severus couldn't tell him.

This horcrux destruction didn't feel like a victory. Because now, the only one left was in Harry's head, and they had no way to test methods for its removal.

The balancing act would grow more difficult, Severus mulled as he offered his old friend a dreamless sleep potion, which the man took readily enough.

Severus knew that he was a better Occlumens than Dumbledore now. He'd tested it often enough in recent months. The man knew nothing about the cup. Severus regretted ever telling the old man about the diadem, but the cup was better, because Albus had evidence that it existed. This was fortunate, because Severus would be in an equally bad position if Albus thought that perhaps there weren't seven horcruxes after all.

Severus would give Albus updates of frustrating progress occasionally- doubts that it was entrusted to Belatrix after all, insinuations that perhaps his old master favoured Belatrix only for her loyalty and her body, rather than her mind- though Severus could hardly stomach the idea of Riddle having any sexual leanings. Albus Dumbledore didn't appear to suspect anything.

He would have to give Albus the news that the snake was destroyed, unavoidable with Lucius in residence. So, it was fortunate that Severus had kept news of the cup in reserve for just this eventuality.

And then, there was Harry. Harry already knew about the others gone, so the boy could not find out about the snake being dead. Severus would have to say or imply that Lucius failed. If the boy knew he was the last horcrux… Harry still needed to be protected from himself. Draco couldn't learn anything either, or Harry might find out from his friend. Additionally, Severus couldn't allow Albus to question Draco or Harry, an unlikely event, but still enough to scare Severus.

If they could just wait until the blasted tournament was over, Severus could have some time. They couldn't do anything until the end of the tournament, because Harry would be compelled to compete. But after that… they would do what they had to. Severus would keep looking for more books, more answers.

But if they had to… New Zealand was an appealing option. It was just until they had a safe way to remove the horcrux- or until either Severus or Harry died of old age. His son was not some bloody Christ-like sacrificial lamb. He was a wonderful, talented, fourteen-year-old boy. Severus was keeping his son safe.

*****Harry*****

"Hey, you okay?" Ron asked. Harry hadn't really been reading the potions text in front of him.

"Yeah, I'm okay," Harry said. Because there wasn't anything wrong. His dad seemed to have Riddle stuff moving, and Draco's dad wasn't dead.

In fact, he should be happy that his father, Dora, and Harry would be going on a vacation this summer, a family vacation. As far as Harry was concerned, his dad and Dora seemed to have it all figured out, and they might as well have gotten married a year or two ago. Because if they could get through everything that had already happened… what were normal people's life pressures about? And, just in case something went wrong with the horcrux… he'd be glad that Dora would be there with his dad.

"We're going to go on a trip this summer. Dad said to think about where I might want to go. Do you think Egypt's a good pick?" Harry asked.

"Yeah, Egypt's great. Bill would show you around. I don't think it would be nearly as cool without him," Ron answered with a smile. But he didn't seem as enthusiastic as he usually did when someone asked him about Egypt.

"You okay?" Harry asked back.

"Yeah. Just- what classes are you taking after OWLs?" Ron asked.

What classes was he taking after OWLs? And this was _Ron_ asking, not Hermione? Though Hermione had asked him before, but still.

"Er, definitely dropping Arithmancy, Astronomy, and History for sure, maybe Care of Magical Creatures," Harry admitted. Though he knew it would hurt Hagrid. "All the others are the suggested courses for aurors, so… I'll probably keep those open just in case," Harry said. So taking Defense Against the Dark Arts, Transfiguration, Charms, Potions and Herbology. "Though if not for that, I'd rather keep Creatures than Herbology." Or drop them both and maybe something else too and have more time for quidditch…

"You mean in case you decide _not_ to play seeker for whichever team you want _and_ for England's national team? You know I won't actually hate you if you don't pick the Cannon's right? Though you really should give them some thought," Ron said.

"What about you?" Harry asked. "Quidditch tryouts next year? You've been great in practice," Harry said. Practice that hadn't happened with the whole team in months by now. Because Harry was too busy to try to make it happen, and there was so much going on, and because there weren't even officially teams that year. But Angelina would get excited again soon.

"Maybe. If you need someone," Ron said. "I'm not going to make a career out of it though, you know? I'm not good enough. I don't even know if the twins would be. They're only really good together, and a team usually just can't take on two players like that, two fresh players, even in the reserves, especially when one wouldn't be very good coming on the field without the other. Charlie was great in school, but he knew he couldn't make a career out of it- so he didn't even play at the end- had some rows over it with the house as I understand, because they won the cup before thanks to him. But Ginny, Ginny might be able to, so it's a shame for her that Gryffindor has such established chasers, so she might have to wait 'till Angelina and Alicia graduate."

"An' now I'm jus' going on about by brothers' and sister's futures, but it seems like they're more set, you know, with perfect fits? Bill with his curse breaking, and Charlie with dragons, they're both perfect, but I didn't really think too much of it at first, because they always seemed _way_ older, you know? And Percy's made for the Ministry, and he won't be like dad- in some good ways and some bad. And Fred and George were always going to do stuff together, and now it looks like it's their inventions stuff. And Ginny will probably do quidditch, and I just- I don't know what I can do," Ron said.

Wow. That was a lot.

"Well I- don't really know any more than you do. Have you- asked anyone else?" Harry asked. He almost said Hermione, but since Ron and Hermione were doing the hanging out but not dating thing…

Ron shrugged, "Not the whole speech. But your dad said I should take whatever classes I don't hate. Hermione thinks I should take everything I can- except maybe not History. Mum says I have to take everything I possibly can- not like the twins who passed almost everything and only took four NEWT courses each. And Dad almost always just says to listen to Mum. Ginny was there, getting the same speech, but she told me later to just make sure I fail the OWLs of whatever courses I don't want to take. She got smart like the twins at some point, maybe smarter than any of us," Ron said.

"Well… I think maybe we don't have to plan yet," Harry said, even though that sounded like a worthless answer.

"Well, don't forget that you'd be a good teacher too," Ron said.

"A teacher?" Harry asked. He had sort of thought about it, since that was what his dad did, after all… and he did like the DA.

"Yeah, or a seeker coach. You helped Colin a lot. He's about as good a seeker as Ginny now, and she's pretty good."

"Thanks," Harry answered. Both of those did sound pretty good.

"Yeah, but you're not good at everything. You're making a lousy career counselor," Ron said straight faced before grinning.

"Well-" Harry tried to think of something that sounded like Ron. He was good at stuff, lots of stuff. Like chess, and knowing a lot of wizard stuff and… telling people stuff without the other person feeling dumb. "Do you want to be an auror?" Harry tried. He really didn't know all that many jobs. The Ministry seemed to have lots of departments, and there was everyone who worked at Hogwarts, or Diagon Alley, or Hogsmeade, but surely there were other things? And St. Mungos, but that one really didn't feel like Ron.

"Yeah, kind of. I thought I might keep those courses just in case. And we'd have them together, and they're pretty general good things to know in case I do- something similar," he said.

"Well, you know a lot more about wizarding jobs than I do," Harry pointed out. "Is there anything you kind of wanted to do?" Harry asked.

"Well… I kinda like Muggle Studies classes. And my dad is really good at his job, but sometimes new muggle things come up that he really doesn't get. I don't think Muggle Studies was very good in his day, and besides, muggles develop new things all the time, faster than wizards do. Dad was telling me about a transfigured telly that was brought to him, probably someone trying to make it work without electricity, but then they threw it out and some muggles found it and it was sort of working without being plugged into electricity," Ron described, and he did seem really into it.

"But anyway, he was describing it, and I think really it was a _computer_ , not a telly. Hermione was telling me about computers, how her parents have two and keep record of all their business stuff on it. And she said she'd have to show me, but didn't say when I should come over, and I didn't know how to ask," Ron went on. "But, I thought maybe eventually, later, Perkins, the man who works with dad, is pretty old. And if I were an auror for a few years, maybe he'd retire, and I'd look at it maybe then?" Ron let out.

It seemed like Ron had more of a career plan than anyone Harry knew their age. Because Hermione thought a ton about her future, but the particulars changed regularly.

"That sounds cool," Harry answered.

"Yeah? It is kinda cool. And Dad doesn't just sit at a desk all day, he gets called out on artifact recovery, even working with the aurors sometimes. But, it'd be pretty safe, and I'd usually be home in time for dinner with- if I had a family or whatever. Or to go get _take away_. Hermione was telling me about take away too. I don't think places in Diagon Alley or Hogsmeade do it, but it's when muggle places make food for you to just pick up and eat at home. Like having a house elf to cook for you, sort of," Ron explained. "But you probably already knew about computers and take away," Ron remembered. Wizards did have lots of great things, but they were a few decades- or centuries- behind muggles on other stuff.

"Yeah," Harry said. Dudley had liked getting take away. Harry had never had it, but it couldn't be better than something Milly made. Though, Hermione wouldn't want a house elf. "Sounds like you didn't really need a career counselor after all," Harry said.

"You don't think that would be weird to work for my dad on muggle stuff?" Ron asked.

"I think your dad's pretty great," Harry answered.

"Yeah, he is."

*****Severus*****

Severus had done weeks, months, of planning what he would do when he had the snake. Harry talking to it had been completely out of the question, with Severus unwilling to have Harry around a sentient horcrux. But, Severus had considered putting it near Salazar, and then Harry could talk to Salazar. But he also didn't want Harry to get attached to the snake, because it was an evil beast that had to die eventually. And there was the question if the horcrux in a snake would be analogous to Harry's. Because Harry had his own soul, in addition to the portion of the horcrux, but did animals? Black had mentioned that he was less affected by dementors as a dog, so what did _that_ mean? Did animals have souls or not? Surely Black had his in that form, so it must be something else. Did every living thing have a soul? When did saving his son start to sound like religion? Severus had half formed plans of visiting Azkaban with Salazar to see the effects- or more likely coercing Lucius to do so. But now there seemed no point of putting his old friend though that- Salazar or Lucius. And he still needed to brew a more exact antidote for the snake, as if he needed another task.

So, now Severus had to do something else. Preferably something that would reduce Riddle's power and not leave the country in ruin. If they could just get past the tournament safely. Though, Harry was doing quite brilliantly thus far.

They had already discussed the sphinx, and Harry could handle boggarts. Hagrid would provide a few creatures, most prominently the "Blast-Ended Skrewt" which Harry was familiar with from his Care of Magical Creatures class. Severus _had_ considered exterminating the lot of them, which seemed better for both his son and the community as a whole... but, Harry could handle them on his own. Curses and traps were harder to predict… but they would do it.

Acromantulas sounded like the worst danger, the giant spiders. Now these, Severus truly was debating tracking their nest and setting the whole thing aflame. They were somewhere deep in the forest, he knew, Hagrid's largest pet menace. But Harry knew Impedimenta, as well as cutting and blasting charms. And Harry wouldn't hesitate to use them, especially because Severus wouldn't tell Harry that Hagrid was fond of the beasts. Harry was doing exceptionally well in all of his training, as expected. They would be fine. And probably, something in Greece would be helpful, so he wouldn't really be lying to Harry... again. He needed to work further on his Ancient Greek.

And if not… Austrailia, New Zealand, South Africa, America… a large, English speaking population would be helpful, if not needed.

*****Harry*****

"It's a maze?" Ron asked. "And they're tearing up the quidditch pitch for it?" Ron asked, disgusted. Harry had just come from a talk with Mr. Bagman and the other three competitors. His father hadn't known there would be a maze exactly, but he knew some of the obstacles, and they'd already started working on some of them. Harry didn't think he'd mention to Ron the existence of enormous spiders. Acromantulas were probably in their Care of Magical Creatures book, but neither of them ever really opened the ferocious book- though Harry might now.

"Yeah," Harry said with a shrug. He figured that it they could grow the hedges, the same people could also put the pitch back how it belonged, though he hoped it wouldn't take long into summer.

"Can you just fly over it and figure out the best path? Or better, you should just summon your broom again when you're in the maze and fly to the middle. You said you go in first, right? You could just grab the cup before anyone else even gets to go in," Ron said.

It had sort of occurred to Harry too, though he also figured that something would be set up to stop him from just flying over it, now or later.

"I'll try tomorrow," Harry said. "I bet there will be some wards up though," Harry said. Though… he could probably ask Milly to get him through whatever was set up, or to see it herself. House elf magic seemed to be able to get through just about anything. In fact, he needed to ask his father if a house elf could have enchanted the Goblet of Fire for its- for his or her- master. Asking Milly for help on top of what his dad was already did sound like cheating though, and he'd maybe get caught.

"Do you know if the cup is in the center or along an exterior wall?" Hermione asked. "Because if the goal is along an exterior wall, picking a direction at the beginning and staying along that wall, regardless of the turns, will always get you there, as a principle innate in mazes. Though in a maze designed by wizards, it _is_ possible that the hedges could move, like the staircases in the castle. In that case, scouting out ahead of time wouldn't be very useful, but flying over shouldn't be ruled out."

"I think it's in the center," Harry said. He hadn't thought about moving hedges yet. Could he just blast through them and head in a straight line towards the center?

"Will we be able to see what's going on from above, or will it be as boring to watch as the second task?" Ron asked suddenly. "Because we could make a way of communicating with you which direction you should go," Ron suggested.

"I don't know," Harry said. Surely the location of the quidditch pitch was for viewing… though he wouldn't have thought they would have made any tasks unwatchable, and the second task certainly was.

"Well really, it sounds to me like you just need to go into the maze a bit, and keep safe and wait until someone gets to the cup. I would imagine they have escalating danger the closer to the goal, so really the best course of action would be to avoid all that you could. _If_ you still just want to be safe," Hermione said with some emphasis.

Harry and Ron shared a look. He couldn't do _that_. Not when he was already in the lead. He had a decent chance of winning the whole thing! He hoped his father wouldn't think of that too.

"I think I'd be compelled to try my best," Harry said. Because that was probably true, and because he'd definitely try. She made some good points though. Really, if he headed towards things that seemed the _most_ dangerous, he was probably on the right path… and then he'd just have to deal with whatever was there. And he tried not to think about that too much, because he knew it was a terribly reckless idea.

 **A/N: Well, there you go, Hermione and Ron finally know about horcruxes, and the final task will be soon!**


	82. Chapter 82 The Third Task

Chapter 82- The Third Task

*****Severus*****

Lucius Malfoy was comfortably relaxing at his home, perfectly healthy, though not yet returned to his normal, power-abusing puppeteering life. He had explained away his previous erratic behavior at the Ministry with an illness that kept him home for some length of time.

It had only taken Severus a few days to reach an antidote he was confident in. Lucius was lucky that antidotes as a whole were very quick brews. It might have taken him a bit longer if he didn't have two very eager watchers, ready and competent to follow any instructions he had.

Fred and George Weasley. The boys were preparing their own stock of products for their first booth at an upcoming Wasps match, and they did not make bad company, at least one of them always ready to jump to whatever Severus needed. Sometimes Ron appeared as well, curious and capable to prepare ingredients.

Fred proudly showed Severus the promotional branding and labels that their friend Lee Jordan had helped them work up. "Weasley's Wizard Weezes," the alliteration being pleasing to the eye and the tongue, and strange enough to reflect their demeanor.

If he took them on as more formal apprentices in their seventh year, it would confer a level of respect for them in the brewing community. Severus found himself making plans, even suggestions for their little products, even though it was a distraction he sorely did not need.

Severus had no way of knowing if he would even be at the castle in the fall, but it seemed unlikely. New Zealand, Austrailia, America, Severus reminded himself. Perhaps not staying in any one place for long. And anywhere that could provide more information on horcruxes, starting in Greece. The Weasley boys would be fine. They did not have real need of any more of his assistance. And the remainder of his students might flourish under different instruction. He did not really have many years of teaching experience when considering the disdain he held for all children for the first more than decade of his employment.

With Lucius healed and six horcruxes destroyed, there was nothing Severus could really do except try to maintain some appearance of normal life, and wait for the damned tournament to be over.

*****Harry*****

Harry had decided to take some of his exams, sort of because he figured his dad would want him to, and half because there was only so much time he could spend worrying about the final task. So, he took all the ones that he figured he'd continue at the NEWT level, and Care of Magical Creatures, because that would be the best practice for the maze anyway. He even took Herbology, mostly because it could maybe help with the maze too. And he figured he might as well study with Hermione, Ron, and other members of the DA, which seemed to be nearly everyone these days. Meetings had turned into more practical class preparation for each year in groups, but it was still convenient that there were older years around, and people in other houses taking the same classes at different times. It was strange seeing hundreds of students sit in the Chamber of Secrets with books open on conjured cushions or chairs.

When students began to outright compare notes on exams they had already taken and ones that they still had left, trading knowledge, Harry wondered if teachers made different exams for different houses, or if they figured that the students in different houses just wouldn't talk to each other about the exams. The last one that Gryffindors would take, on the day of the last task, was History of Magic. And that one, Harry was definitely skipping.

The Champions were supposed to spend the day with their parents, showing them around or whatever, but Dora and his dad already knew the castle, probably better than Harry did. Harry wasn't sure if Dora has seen the Durmstrang ship or Beauxbatons carriage, but she could have seen them whenever she wanted, and it wasn't like they could go inside to really see. And, his father probably had a lot to do before the end of term. Harry had done all he could possibly do to prepare for the maze, but having an entire day of nothing to do wasn't going to make him less nervous. Harry was just ready for it all to be over, whether he won or loss. Of course, he'd still try his best to win.

*****Severus*****

The morning began with breakfast, immediately followed by greeting the families of the other "champions," a duty passed to him as a fellow parent. And Dora had come with him- for Harry. Because the other children would have at least two guests.

The families weren't the friendliest lot. Diggory's father gave Severus an unpleasant look, and Severus wasn't sure if it was because Harry was ahead of Diggory's son in the task standings, or because the boy did not score high enough to be in Severus's NEWT class. Severus did not truly care but- he had been having slightly larger NEWT classes in the last two years, without issue. Perhaps it was time to accept students with an "E" again.

Victor Krum's parents spoke only to their son, and then to Karkaroff, in Bulgarian, Severus would guess.

The French girl introduced Harry to her parents, half in English, half in French. It was easy to see that the girl's mother was half-veela, garnering much attention from the room, most obviously the adoration of her shorter, stouter husband. Severus lingered on the girl's hand on his son's shoulder. She was acting far too familiar with him. The girl was seventeen- or maybe even eighteen by now.

Harry was smiling broadly, for all appearances unbothered by what he faced in a few hours. But then it would be over. Harry would be fine and it would be over, and as soon as possible, they would leave the country. He supposed they should stay for whatever winnings ceremony the boy would be paraded through, and his trophy, and then Severus would have a few days of marking, and seeing the children home. And he might as well let Harry ride the bloody train. But then, then he would face everything that he needed to do. Greece, New Zealand, maybe Russia.

Dora insisted on Harry leading them around the castle, a needless endeavor, but Harry seemed happy with it, which was all that mattered. Remus and the mutt came to the castle by lunch, and joined the little parade. Because it made Harry happy, and the boy could use a distraction. The child was as prepared as possible.

There was a feast in the evening. A _nother feast_ , just what the children needed before running around a dangerous maze that evening. Dora sat comfortably beside him at the high table, but was that a mistake? Should they have been sitting with Harry at the Gryffindor table like the other parents were? Harry was surrounded by friends talking animatedly, and he didn't seem to have been put off his food. Remus and Black were there too, looking at home at the Gryffindor table.

Finally, Dumbledore gave the notice that the four children were to follow Bagman to the quidditch pitch now, the rest of the crowd to follow in five minutes. Severus rose at the same time as the children, and no one would be able to tell him differently.

Severus listened at a distance as Minerva explained that the competitors were to shoot up sparks and be retrieved if any serious trouble befell them- which reminded Severus eerily of that detention Harry had in the forest in his first year, the detention Severus most certainly would not have allowed if he was told the intent. And now, Severus was left sitting on the outside again.

Crouch hadn't even come to Hogwarts for the third task. Severus had intended to meet with him, but Milly confirmed that he had not set foot on grounds. It was not entirely unsurprising when he had appeared to be on the brink of a mental break for nearly a year. Percy Weasley was acting as judge in his stead, and probably loving every second of it. Bagman was hovering around Harry irritatingly.

But all of this paled with the unpleasant discovery that Severus could see nothing from the quidditch stands. The maze was obscured thoroughly enough that the hedges might as well have formed a solid roof. He had intended to watch closely and intervene if necessary, the way he watched quidditch events with Harry in them. How was this never described in one of their pointless meetings? Were there later meetings that he was not part of? Damn Albus, Minerva, Igor Karkaroff!

Too soon, before he had even said anything else to Harry, the event had started. Bagman was speaking in his irritating, confident tones, and then Harry was inside the maze, followed in the next tense minutes by each of the other competitors in turns. And then Severus could do nothing but hope for Harry's safety and watch for red sparks. Dora had joined him and held his hand comfortingly.

*****Harry*****

Harry ran until he was forced to turn right or left, the maze darkening with each step, and Harry was certain it was more than just the sinking sun. Could anyone see through this? Could his dad? Moody probably could, and that made him feel a bit better.

Harry took the right fork. He could try blasting through the hedges at some point, but not when his competition might see him. He'd get a ways away from the start first. The whistle blew a second time, meaning Cedric was in the maze with him. That hadn't been much of a head start really.

Harry was just thinking about trying the hedges when he heard a loud spark.

Blast-Ended Skrewts.

Harry didn't even consider backing away. Like Hermione had guessed, he needed to go through the worst dangers. But he was glad he'd stayed for his Care of Magical Creatures exam. Though they were bigger already than they had been four days ago. What had Hagrid done to them?

Their weakness was their underside, Harry knew. He had practiced the theory and the spells. But now he faced two of them at once, and they were probably ten feet long.

 _Wingardium Leviosa_ , Harry thought, bringing the largest rock nearby up sharply under the closest one. It flipped over onto its companion, sparking as it did, which Harry narrowly avoided. The one farther from Harry reared up and set upon it- probably to eat it, as several of the ones in class already had eaten each other. Harry sent stunners at both partially exposed undersides. He didn't really want to kill them himself, but if one wanted to eat the other when the stunner wore off… Harry wouldn't mourn the loss.

Harry ran past until he felt far enough away for a pause. Another whistle, and there had been one the third when he was fighting with the skrewts. They were now all in the maze. Everyone still had a chance, really. Harry wondered if anyone would follow him.

Harry used the locating spell to point him in what he hoped was the correct direction, and of course, it was through the hedge.

No better time to try.

A few blasting hexes and he had an opening large enough that he could fit through. And the hedge didn't seem to be anything particularly magical that Professor Sprout would enjoy. Or at least, when Harry put his left hand in first, the hedges didn't bite.

Harry pushed his way through, and he was in another nearly identical empty path. It was going to be a long process cutting his way through the whole maze. And then someone might just come up behind him and catch up in a few moments thanks to his work. Or they could find a different, quicker path.

Two more hedges later, and Harry saw a path in more or less the right direction. Harry took it, running until he reached another split.

Turning to the right, he saw-

Harry hadn't pictured an acromantula being quite that large. The wingspan-for lack of a better term- was… huge.

Impulse was to aim for the big body, but that was its most protected part.

 _Diffindo_ , Harry thought, focusing on the legs on the right side, as many as he could get. If it could just lose balance... Harry only got two legs, but it was enough.

The thing crashed onto the ground sideways, revealing just enough of its underside. Just like the skrewts.

 _Impedimenta, stupefy_ , Harry cast. Anything that would work.

"Tarantallegra," Fleur Delacour shouted, and a second acromantula slipped on all 8 of its feet.

Harry hadn't seen the other one yet. It reminded Harry of something Ron had his boggart do in their third year.

The first blasting hex Harry sent at his acromantula didn't do much, but was enough to push it onto its back. Harry's second hex- was pretty gruesome. But stunning wouldn't always be enough, and it was just a spider- that wanted to eat him and anyone else in the maze.

"Fleur. You- caught up," Harry said stupidly. She was wearing about half a robe and smelled of smoke, and she had some nasty looking burns. And… Harry couldn't get past the fact that she was only wearing about half a robe, and he was a blathering idiot. Why were these tasks always destroying her _clothes_?

"You made holes een maze," she said. So she had followed his path, but had not fared as well against the skrewts. Of course, she hadn't been raising them all year.

"Yeah, it seemed- like a good idea," he said. "Thanks for that, with the- with the spider. The acromantula," he said dimly. Fleur's arcomantula seemed dead too- Harry hoped.

"You could 'ave done it alone. Ze cup is ahead," she said, nodding her head behind Harry. Harry turned, and there it was… the thing he'd been thinking about for months, even though Harry knew he was supposed to just think about safety and Voldemort, and classes, and stuff… He could probably out run her, Harry had always been fast, and she was more hurt.

"We should probably end it before another acromantula sneaks up on us," Harry said awkwardly.

"I did not zink on 'Alloween zat I would lose to you, 'Arry Potter Snape. I tought eet would be Victor," she laughed just a bit, and it was enchanting.

"You haven't lost yet. You could always stop me, duel me," Harry pointed out. The longer they were here, the more likely someone else would come upon them too.

"I will not do zat, 'Arry. I owe you more zan zat," she said, but started walking towards the cup anyway, tucking her wand away as she did.

"From the second task? I told you, you don't owe me anything. Really, I think it was my fault to begin with. And I know it was scary and all, but your sister was never really in danger, so I didn't save her either. In fact, I was stupid to try to take two hostages at once, and I might have gotten us all in a bad situation then," Harry explained, following her.

They were both right next to it now. And there was a noise down the passage, either another champion coming, or something worse. "Take it now!" Fleur urged.

"Together," Harry said, not sure what noble sentiment made him say that. Fleur made a face but said. "On t'ree, One, two-"

"Three," Harry said with her, grabbing the handle closest to him. Harry had almost a second to realize that Fleur had stood smiling but had not grabbed on to the trophy before a strange pull behind his navel whisked him away from her disappearing smile.

"Harry Potter," a voice greeted him. "Or Harry Snape," he said.

Harry blocked the silent charm sent at him from the dark cloaked figure. He also blocked the second, whispered one but-

Agonizing, blinding, pain so bad, so _so_ bad.

When it stopped, Harry was on the ground, bound tightly in ropes and his wand was gone. That… had to be the Cruciatus Curse. It went through his shield charm like it wasn't even there. Harry's second wand was his next thought, strapped it to his left arm that morning. But the ropes were so tight that- he wouldn't be able to reach it. If he could just manage it, then maybe with surprise on his side…

"Harry Potter Snape," Harry said evenly, even from his vulnerable position. So whoever that Death Eater was would know that he wasn't afraid. Even though he was. He'd never felt one before, but the cup must have been a portkey. But this wasn't part of the task. A fleeting thought passed him that he'd have to tell Hermione that portkeys worked on Hogwarts grounds. The cup was now out of reach as well, past his head. But he had no reason to think that it would take him back, even if he could squirm over there without being killed first.

Harry was in a graveyard, and obviously really far from Hogwarts. He could see an old house and a church, probably muggle, and no signs of help around. There was nothing but the man. No, there was a bunch of robes wadded up not far from the man, the Death Eater. Harry's scar _hurt_ , at least as badly as it had when Mr. Malfoy was in the Hospital Wing. The pain made it harder to think straight, which was the only thing that was important right now. The robes had Riddle in it, Harry's thoughts came to, in whatever form Riddle had now.

"And who are you?" Harry asked. Harry needed to keep the follower talking. That was all he could do until he thought of something else. Dudley sometimes watched films where the villains would catch the hero and then waste a lot of time talking, and Dudley would complain how they were so close and then made a stupid mistake like talking. Harry wasn't sure if Dudley saw himself as a villain, but when he managed to catch Harry, he never made that mistake. But Harry could sometimes stall the other boys with talking.

"I am my master's greatest follower," the man declared. Harry closed his eyes just for a moment, seeking relief from his scar that wouldn't come. If anything, it was getting worse. But it wasn't as bad as the Cruciatus Curse. So, he could handle it, because he had to.

"What's your-" Harry was cut off into a shriek as he flew backwards. His robes secured him to the back of a headstone, arms even further from being able to reach his spare wand. It was awful how even with the pain in his scar feeling like his head was going to split open, Harry could still be bothered by his arms nearly being forced out of their sockets. "All of Tom Riddle's followers either turned away from him, or were locked in Azkaban," Harry declared. Maybe the name Tom Riddle would bother the Death Eater. Maybe, maybe if Harry could convince this crazy man that the one he followed was a half-blood, he wouldn't want to follow Riddle anymore.

"All of them were, yes. Anyone who did not suffer does not deserve to come back to my lord. But his wisdom is better. But when he is strong again, he will know they are not worthy. He will know that I am his strongest ally, just like Nagini did," the man raved.

"Nagini?" Harry asked. Though he had a suspicion.

"Master's familiar. She knew that Lucius Malfoy was not worthy. She bit him, and he killed her for it, but he would suffer. It is such a pity that he didn't die of it. My master was so angry, so devastated that it weakened him, and he needed me more. He needed me to carry out his great plan," the man went on.

The snake was dead. Hadn't his dad said that Mr. Malfoy hadn't- and his father never lied to him. Why would he lie about this when he told Harry everything else about the horcruxes, even that Harry's own life was in danger?

 _Of course._

His dad didn't want Harry to know that he was the last horcrux, or Harry might just kill himself to be sure it was gone. Horcruxes in living things were vulnerable because they were destroyed if their host died, by any means. His dad was going to test safe removal on the snake, but the snake died before he had a chance. And now he wasn't going to risk testing on Harry.

But what did his dad plan to do next, just to run? Maybe, Harry realized. The traveling they were planning for the summer- was there more to that? Were they running and never coming back?

Would Harry have- killed himself? Should he try to now? Well… maybe he would, but only if he could be sure that Voldemort would die soon too. And if Harry killed himself or let them kill him, no one else would be around to kill Riddle. So Harry was going to try not to die either.

The Death Eater had been doing something, moving something large- a cauldron bigger even than any Harry had seen his father use. And it was filled with- something that moved like water but probably wasn't. And he moved the bundle of robes closer too. It was a potion to make Riddle stronger, probably.

"Do you know the man you follow, Tom Riddle, is a half-blood? He lied to all of you with his claims of blood purity," Harry dared say. His scar flared worse. Riddle was weak, but he could hear them.

"Look at where you are, boy!" the man declared, pointing to the stone nearest Harry.

Tom Riddle, the grave read.

But Voldemort wouldn't have a grave, certainly not one with his muggle name. No, the dates didn't match. So, it was Riddle's father, the muggle that Merope Gaunt tricked and then fell in love with, the man who never loved her in return. That muggle didn't seem like a good man, but it must have been terrifying. And Voldemort killed him, like he did so many others. Like he killed Harry's mum and James Potter.

The Death Eater broke the ground open of Tom Riddle's grave, and summoned a fine dust from it, landing neatly in a small mixing bowl of the sort that Harry's father would use.

"So you agreed that all of his loyal servants went to Azkaban. What does that make you? Are you too new? Like Quirrell? Quirrell's _dead_. And no one has ever escaped Azkaban except for my godfather, Sirius Black," Harry declared. "All of the others are stuck there to rot until they die!"

The masked Death Eater laughed. Harry had his attention. And then he threw of his mask and back his hood, showing the face of a man maybe about Harry's father's age. But Harry didn't recognize him. Of course, Harry didn't know about many Death Eaters. But this man would have been young during the war.

" _I_ escaped more than a decade before that imposter. To think that for years people could believe that _he_ was a true follower. That _Gryffindor_ was a traitor to his family. He could have been great! I knew his younger brother better, but Regulus never had that talent. No, _I_ escaped within months of my imprisonment," the man went on. Harry felt that finding out who the man was was important, though he didn't know how it would help. He was still trapped, wandless.

Could he summon his wand windlessly, or would the man just kill him before he managed it? It was possible, but required so much focus… and his head hurt so badly…

"There were sacrifices," the man was still talking. "My mother switched places with me, taking Polyjuice Potion, and she died in there for it. She wasn't strong enough, but she was _good_. She loved me, unlike my father. He kept me trapped so tightly in the next decade that I might as well have been in Azkaban. My mother would have hated him for it. She wanted me to be _free_. But I escaped. The worst indignity of all is that I share a name with that man. So of course I understand my master's similar hatred. To think that I was cursed with the name _Bartemius Crouch_.

Bartemius Crouch. He was Mr. Crouch's son. It would explain how he could get close to the tournament, bewitch the goblet and the cup. But- would Mr. Crouch help him? And this man seemed to hate his father so… He'd taken his father's place, just like he'd done with his mother years before. Mr. Crouch had been acting weird lately. People said it was stress, that he was going to lose his job when the tournament was over.

"You learned everything you could from your father, and then you took his place," Harry said. Even breathing deeply was difficult against the stone.

"You are a _smart_ one. Your father was always _smart_ in school. He so desperately needed everyone to know how _intelligent_ he was. But it would never make anyone like him any better."

"You weren't there today," Harry remembered. Percy was there being a judge in his place. "How did you bewitch the Triwizard Cup if you weren't there today?" Harry asked. He didn't sound quite right, wasn't speaking, wasn't thinking fast enough. The real Mr. Crouch, if it had still been the real Mr. Crouch at the World Cup, hadn't even known Percy's name.

"Oh, I got _Weasley_ to do it for me. No one would suspect _Percy Weasley_ of course. Such an honest and _noble_ young man. It was even more convenient that no one would talk to him because he is so dreadfully _boring_ that every person he has ever encountered avoids him entirely. And he was so _trusting_ of his great boss that the Imperius Curse on him was the easiest I have ever cast."

Poor Percy. He'd be devastated when he found out. It was almost like Ginny being possessed. And the real Mr. Crouch was… missing, maybe dead.

"How could you be sure I would touch the cup first?" Harry asked, because it was all he could think to ask except about Mr. Crouch Sr.

"I could not be sure. I couldn't make Percy Weasley curse anyone without being discovered, and I did not have any other pawns at my disposal. I- went as far as to doubt my master's great plan. But he _knew_ better. It would always be you finishing first, Harry Potter Snape. You are a shadow of a worthy enemy. Saved by your mother, trained by your father. A product of luck. I should never have doubted. And now, I will show my great loyalty!" he declared, stepping towards Harry, wand raised.

 _Accio, Accio, Accio_ , Harry though, hoping one of his wands would come to him, but nothing happened.

"This is where our mark goes," he said, using his wand to slice into Harry's forearm. "I understand that you were given the privileged offer of joining my master in your first year, and you _refused_ ," he said. Harry tried to remember it, the defiance he'd felt when he was eleven, swearing to the darkest wizard of their time that he'd never join him. And then, Harry had won, at least for the time. He just had to do it again.

Barty Crouch Jr. collected Harry's blood in a vial and then turned half away again, placing it on the ground next to the little bowl of ashes. Harry could still see him from the side.

Harry was still bleeding, but not that badly. He wouldn't lose consciousness from it, he thought. He'd had worse cuts before.

Crouch was doing something again, over another bowl. His wand in his right hand was pointed at his left. Was he? With a deep breath, the man cut off a finger from his left hand, and it landed in the little potions ingredient bowl. He healed the place so it stopped bleeding, and he just was missing a finger. It was the one that married people put their wedding rings on, Harry realized. That made it all even creepier.

"It is ready!" Crouch cried. "Incendio," he shouted, starting a fire below the cauldron. It started bubbling almost immediately. Faster than water would, Harry was certain. The substance sparked. Steam emitted from the cauldron.

"Now!" came a high, cold voice, weak but insisting. It was something like the voice he had heard from the back of Quirrell's head. Harry's scar hurt worse. But Riddle didn't even need to have said anything because Crouch was already picking up the bundle of- no, just the thing that had been inside of it.

It was awful, the size of a child, but more like a demon. It was hairless and almost scaly-looking. It was red and slimy, like Harry had heard new babies were, but so, so terrible. Eyes gleaming red and the nose- wasn't there, but instead were slits almost like a snake. But Godric would hate that thing.

Crouch lowered it into the cauldron until it would be to be fully immersed in the substance.

 _Let it drown_ * Harry thought. _Let it go wrong. Please… let it drown_ …

" _Bone of the father, unknowingly given, you will renew your son_!"* Crouch began chanting, and he poured the fine powder into the cauldron.

 _Let it not work. Let that be skin dust, not bone dust. Let it drown._

But Crouch acted like it worked. The sparkling surface shattered and turn a bright blue shade that reminded Harry of something really poisonous.

" _Flesh of the servant, willingly given, you will revive your master_!" The crazed man with equal enthusiasm dropped his own severed finger fell into the cauldron.

 _Accio wand accio wand_! It didn't work. The cauldron turned the bright red of fresh blood, and was… emitting a light.

" _Blood of the enemy, forcibly taken, you will resurrect your foe!"_ He shouted, pouring in Harry's blood.

The potion turned immediately, blindingly white, like it was pure instead of terrible, terrible evil.

 _Let it fail, let it fail_ , Harry begged.

But Harry knew _it_ , Riddle, wouldn't really die, not while Harry was alive.

Crouch should have cut Harry worse, killed him, and maybe if his potion failed, it would all be over.

Thicker, white steam rose from the cauldron.

It worked, Harry was certain.

Crouch was bowed in reverence as Harry could see the rising frame of a man, skeletally thin, but standing and stepping from the cauldron.

Crouch had the robes ready and over the figure's head before the smoke vanished. It was the face that had been at the back of Quirrell's head, but worse. As white as that potion, with huge, red eyes, like evil rubies, and the same nose that the shriveled demon child had had. Harry wouldn't insult serpents by comparing it to a snake's.

Harry had been against a lot, but he had never faced as bad as this. Especially not alone.

"Harry Snape," the high, biting voice spoke.

 **A/N: Let me know what you think! This is getting so hard to write, and I think the next will be the hardest of all. By necessity, this chapter did have some sentences directly copied from Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire* If you would favourite this story, that would mean so much to me!**


	83. Chapter 83 Beyond

Chapter 83- Beyond

*****Severus*****

The haziness around the maze dropped, signifying that a champion won. Severus's eyes darted around the middle, just thinking that most likely… but Miss Delacour was in the center, Diggory running towards her. He spotted Krum next, standing before the sphinx, now walking away from it, because he would have realized it was over. _But where was_ -

"Milly!" Severus called.

"Yes, sir!" the elf squeaked.

"Where is Harry?" he asked. Elves were highly talented creatures.

The elf thought for a moment and frowned. Severus's heart sank into his stomach. "Master Harry isn't on the grounds at all, sir," the elf said. Elves had less reach outside of their domain.

"Take me to the girl in the center of the maze," Severus instructed, holding his hand out with one look at Dora at his side. Dora put her hand on top of his, and Milly took them both.

"Where is Harry?" Severus demanded of the French girl a moment later. Diggory was talking to her already.

"'E vanished," she answered, looking alarmed herself. "Was zer anozzer challenge? Where did 'e go? 'E wanted me to grab with eem, but I- did not earn eet," she babbled.

"The cup is gone," Severus directed the girl.

"Yes, 'e grabbed 'e cup, and-" she made a swishing noise.

Harry was gone, transported off the grounds. How was that even possi- a portkey. Severus didn't specifically know that a portkey _wouldn't_ work in Hogwarts grounds, but surely someone in the centuries the school was open would… _where was his son?_ What sort of magical… traces of magic something would help him find his son?

"Dora?" he asked. If he had any room to care for such things, he would mind that his voice sounded scared.

"Where would Riddle want him?" Dora asked. Because she knew the right questions. "Milly, take us to Dumbledore, and then get Dobby too. And Moody," she ordered, and the elf took them to a grave-looking Albus Dumbledore. Alastor Moody was already next to the man looking equally grim.

"It looked like a portkey," the ex-auror man said nothing useful. Damn it, Mad-Eye had been able to see in the maze and Severus hadn't sat himself directly next to the man, demanding constant updates. Not that that would have helped.

"Who put the cup in the maze?" Dora asked, another good question. Severus should know this too. He just felt crippled.

"Percy Weasley," Albus answered directly.

That didn't make any- "Crouch," Severus said. "Has been acting strangely, and then to not be here today…"

The tall Weasley boy was standing alone, unusual when he was usually hanging about blathering on. He should be rushing around, worried for Harry. Severus found himself already running towards the ginger young man.

"Professor," the young man greeted, but Severus could tell he didn't seem right, though how he had come to know the irritating young man well enough to notice the difference…

Severus took a guess and began countering spells. There was only the Imperius on the boy.

"Oh, hello Professor," the young man greeted, still confused. "Where's Mr. Crouch? Or- of course, I am here in his stead because he is not feeling well. Quite an exciting day, isn't it? Or did it- has it already happened, Professor?" the boy asked.

Crouch had Harry then? But how could that possibly benefit the man, but surely it was Riddle?

Crouch hadn't been the same since Black's trial, and then there was the World Cup, and the trouble with his elf… the elf he fired and now works at Hogwarts.

Milly popped back with Dobby next to her.

"Dobby, can you look for Harry?" Dora asked. "You found him when he was in Hogwarts before you even worked here," she praised. It was a good idea.

"Get Barty Crouch's elf," Severus instructed, and Milly popped away again.

Time was passing and Severus had no idea where Harry was or what- could have already happened to him.

*****Harry*****

"Excellent," Tom Riddle said, turning from Harry to his servant, Crouch. "Give me your arm," he ordered.

"Master, you do not need _them_ ," Crouch protested, sounding like a gruesome, terrible child. "They are no more loyal than-"

"Silence," the man- if he could still be called a man- said. "We shall learn soon. Your arm!" he demanded.

Crouch revealed the Dark Mark, the same one that Harry's dad had, but this was a bright red. Riddle drew his wand from his robes, but did not use it. Instead he pressed his forefinger against the tattoo, which now looked more like a fresh burn. Crouch winced, and Harry saw that the mark turned black.

"We shall see how many are brave enough to return, and how many will be foolish enough to stay away," he said. But that meant… Would Harry's dad feel that too, and be able to come? Did Riddle want him to come? If Harry could just get his wand, then maybe… Why hadn't he learned to apparate yet?

"You, Harry Potter Snape, clearly think you know so much about my so called _family_. But you know _nothing_. And if you cared for your own family, you would have taken my generous offer three long years ago. But your blood, blood of your mother and precious father, have made me more powerful even than the Philosopher's Stone ever could!" he declared. But that wasn't true. Soon, Riddle would be mortal. And it was almost funny that he intended to kill Harry, the very act that would make Riddle killable himself.

And then they started appearing, all in a circle, unevenly spaced. Death Eaters. And Riddle talked to each, to one called Avery, another Macnair. Harry would remember all the names.

Harry really, really had to get out. And if he wanted it hard enough, the ropes would comply.

Harry was sure he had snapped the ropes, but it was another apparition. And then there were many, many more.

*****Severus*****

Severus feels the burning pain that he hadn't felt in thirteen years. And the knowledge that every Death Eater was being summoned. Severus gripped his arm, not even trying to mask the pain. More importantly, he would be able to follow that call. He just had to get out of the wards.

But what it meant… Riddle returned to strength, and a loyal Death Eater by his side, soon to be many more.

Harry might already be…

"Milly, take me to the edge of the grounds. I know where to go. Dora?" he asked.

"I'll go with you, and they can follow me," Dora said, meaning Kingsley, Moody, and half a dozen aurors than Dora had made arrive in the last minutes whose names Severus had not learned. And perhaps others of the castle, the wolf and the dog were there too, had been there for the task. But it was taking too long. A larger force did help ensure… Harry's survival. But the large, selfish part of him wanted to keep Dora far, far away, though she'd hate him for that.

Severus appeared with Dora, just outside a… Death Eater ring, with Riddle in the middle.

And Harry- was alive, but tied- no, the robes fell away, and Harry pulled out his spare wand, where was?- Severus was already running. He just had to grab Harry and go. And Dora-

Other cracks of apparition rung around them, but Severus only had eyes for the long, white fingers closing around Harry's neck, wand at his temple.

"Kill them all!" that awful, high voice shrieked, "Except for Severus and the boy."

Spells clashed around them.

"Severus, I gave you the world, respect, a place where you were accepted. Do you think Lily Potter ever truly cared?"

Severus stared straight at Harry's face, so close to Severus's own face with Lily's eyes, the eyes of the woman who died for her son. Riddle didn't realize how pointless his wand was, when Harry had his own wand to the other side of his head, eyes clenched tight, ready to-.

 _No_.

Severus couldn't even breathe words, but he shot the killing curse at the person he loved most in the world, thinking of the horrible wretch that gripped his son so he could have enough hate to properly cast the spell. Both wizards collapsed, and the scene fell into chaos.

"Do not hurt Severus," Dora's yell was louder than the others.

In two steps, Snape grabbed Harry easily from the ground, not looking at his son's face. He found Dora behind him and pushed the boy into her arms.

"Go. He _will_ wake up," Severus said. They'd discussed the option. Harry had even asked for it months ago, but Severus had never intended…

Dora nodded, not quite looking at the Harry's face either. She would have to hate him if this didn't turn out perfectly, and maybe even then. He was hardly holding himself together, but there was something else he had to do, for Harry. Dora had more difficulty supporting the boy, but she quickly disapparated, and Severus Snape turned towards his fallen former master.

*****Harry*****

 _White. Strangely bright white everywhere, brighter than sunshine. "Am I- dead?" Harry asked, taking in the scene around him, the people he was seeing. Lily and James Potter, his mother and- step father? He still wasn't sure what to make of the man. It looked like he was at a train station, King's Cross even, except everything was brighter, whiter._

 _"No, my son," his mother answered, tears in her eyes. "You have to go back."_

 _"We think that you could go beyond from here if you chose, but it isn't your time," James said._

 _His mother reached out and touched his cheek. Harry leaned into the touch and found himself in his own mother's embrace for the first time he could remember. He felt larger arms surround them both. His mother spoke, "Severus needs you. He'd- not recover if you didn't come back after what he had to do."_

 _"I- I want to go back to be with him, but I don't want to leave you either," he said into his mum's shoulder, grasping the back of James Potter's hand as well. The man had died for him, even if they weren't blood, and James still loved his mum. They seemed to be okay, wherever they were._

 _James Potter spoke, hand on Harry's head. Harry knew that for so many years, his hair had looked just like James's, "I love you, Harry. Can you tell him thank you? Severus, I mean. And if he'd want to hear that I'm sorry, know that I am. Very sorry. And Sirius. I hope Sirius grows to be a better man than we encouraged each other to be. And I was never worried for Remus, but I should have been. A person can make so many mistakes in so few years, and watch them play out over the next decades. Harry, make sure that you have a nice long life to grow and make amends for most of the errors you'll make before you're twenty-two." Harry thought about how the people in front of him died when they were only about Dora's age._

 _"It- was pretty dangerous back there. I'm probably not that likely to live that long."_

 _"Don't worry about that," his mother said soothingly, "Your father will take care of it, and you will have a happy, normal life, I promise you, Harry. You just have to wake up."_

 _"Now?" Harry asked, almost a whine, still facing into his mother's embrace._

 _James Potter spoke, "It's not so bad. If I'm not mistaken, there are two beautiful women looking after you right now, almost at beautiful as your mother."_

 _"James!"_

 _"Harry!"_

"'Arry!"

*****Severus*****

Severus made his way to his old master's feet, this time standing while the most feared man in the world lay on the ground for several moments, maybe even minutes. Aurors around him were rounding up what Death Eaters they could. They'd seen most of them without masks at least, surely. No one bothered him as he stood, perhaps no one sure whose side he was on.

He had just led a group of aurors to capture the last remaining Death Eaters, and then he cast Avada Kadavra on his son, but Dora had spoken for him. Was he a man without friends or enemies?

Tom Riddle's body stirred. Severus prayed to- something, someone- that that meant that Harry was recovering as well, rather than the opposite. Either way, he had to finish this now, even if he offed himself in despair later. He owed this to Harry.

" _Avada Kadavra_ ," he said, pointed at the barely moving form. " _Sectum Semptra, Sectum Sempra,_ "he finished, for good measure. The snake-like head completely removed from the body and cut in half again made him feel better. Severus didn't even pay attention to anything else happening around him anymore. It was over.

Severus apparated himself away to the gates of Hogwarts, where he was certain Dora had taken Harry, feeling the cutting curse just hit his side just as he turned and vanished.

*****Dora*****

Nymphadora Tonks made it inside the castle gates, open because of the Triwizard event, before allowing herself to look at the boy in her arms. Harry was her what- pseudo- nephew? son? She loved this boy and he seemed dead. He failed every basic field test- no breath, no pulse even. But a wave of her wand showed the same magical signature he always had, fainter, but still there. Dora let her spell fade.

"'Arry!" a voice shrieked. Dora looked up to see the French champion collapse next to them. The witch was not who Dora would have expected to see, not that she expected to see anyone at all at the castle gates. The girl looked like she had been through quite a lot that day.

"He's going to wake up," Dora found herself saying. The witch seemed to care for Harry, and Dora needed to continue believing that Severus knew what he was doing, that everything would work out like they discussed.

"I was supposed to be wit him. Zen you, and ees fater…" yes, Severus had questioned the girl. "I 'ad to get out of ze maze, and everyone was yelling, and I just wanted to get off de grounds to apparate, but I did not know where to go- wat is wrong wit eem?"

"It's not your fault. It was- a plan to get Harry there. If you'd been there, I don't think there was anything you could have done."

"'Ow do you know 'e'll wake up?" the girl, Fleur, asked, tears flowing having felt the same lack of pulse at his neck that Dora had.

"Severus said he would."

"'Es father. You love eem, yes?"

Dora nodded, throat tight, thinking of seeing Severus use that curse. Yes, she loved him. If Harry didn't m- if Harry wasn't okay, then Severus wouldn't be either. She'd have to hold him together somehow, commit him to Saint Mungos for a while if she had too.

"I zink I could love him. 'Arry," the girl spoke, startling Dora out of her thoughts. "I zink anyone could zough. He should be a leetle boy at ees age, but 'e eesn't." Dora looked at the boy in front of her, half-grown just in the time she'd known him. She glanced at the girl beside her. The witch was probably not much younger than Dora had been when she first set her sights on Severus, a strange thought.

Both witches looked sharply when the young wizard between them twitched.

"Harry!"

"'Arry!"

*****Harry*****

"Dora?" Harry asked, opening his eyes slowly, "I'm fine, Dora, really. I don't even hurt, except my arm a bit. Erm- hi, Fleur- are you alright?" _What was Fleur doing there?_

"Oui, 'Arry," the French witch replied, crying. Why was she crying?

"Hey!" Ron's voice shouted. Harry sat up. "No one knew where you went and your dad ran off. Dobby popped over and said you were back but weren't back, and he wasn't really making any sense. And Winky, Crouch's old elf, is in an awful state, crying and all. Where's you go? We were really worried, but hey, you won!" Ron said all at once.

Hermione caught up around the end. Harry might have noticed that Fleur was standing several steps back by then.

"The officials- didn't seem to know- that the cup was a portkey. Are you okay, Harry?" Hermione panted.

He was more than okay. He was free. He wasn't a horcrux, he was- "Where's Dad?" Harry asked Dora. It was terrible that it had taken him so long to realize-

"He's crossing the gates now," Ron answered.

"Severus, you're hurt," Dora cried.

"Harry!" his dad said, stumbling over.

"Severus, we need to get that looked at," Dora insisted. "I'm awful at anything that bleeds," she said.

"Hermione's good at it. Can she, dad?" Harry asked, only a little worried as his father wrapped arms around him.

"Yes, fine. And close the gates," he instructed, not moving himself from his place half sprawled on the grass, holding Harry. It wasn't needed in the end, because Milly arrived with a disoriented Madame Pomfrey, who sorted out Harry's dad in a matter of seconds, adding in some scolding for not seeing to himself. And, to not be left out, Dora joined the embrace on the ground.

*****Harry Potter Snape*****

Harry let Godric pass from hand to hand, crawling up his arm. Harry took extra time to visit his pet even more often after everything was over. The snake had actually clung to him more closely now that they couldn't- talk like they had before. It was the only bad thing about it all being over, not being able to talk so easily to Godric and Salazar. Harry had spoken to them both about it when he first found out about the horcrux, that he'd gotten his parseltongue abilities from the man who tried to kill him. He told them that if they could get the- thing out then he probably couldn't talk to them anymore. He thought that they remembered and understood.

"ShaaasssSSStttssss ssttss?" Harry asked if he could get Godric anything, feeling clumsy in the speech even though he'd practiced for years now.

Godric replied that he wanted food, and Harry told him that it wasn't time for him to eat again for several days, but he'd get him some bugs now.

It was a conversation they'd had a dozen times before, except Harry usually just told him to stop complaining and wait. But now Harry didn't want to miss anything.

It wasn't so bad. No one else had a pet they could talk to, and they never complained about it. And really, Harry still could talk to them some. His dad had had Salazar for years without getting to talk to him. And Hedwig always seemed to know what Harry was talking about when he visited her, which he tried to do more often too.

Harry had told Sirius and Remus what James Potter had told him in the almost dream, and the Sirius hugged him, wiping tears from his eyes. Harry had told his father everything about the- vision as well, and the man hugged him for even longer, but shed no tears.

Remus was doing well, staying with Sirius still, but Harry's dad said that he might be able to return as the Defense teacher next year, because Moody still wanted to leave. That would be great, because Remus was a great teacher too.

Harry and his friends were doing fine, glad that another crazy year was over, and thinking that maybe this time there wouldn't be any major disasters the next year. Of course, Hermione's reminders that OWLs were coming up weighed on everyone- though maybe Harry didn't mind too much. Draco seemed okay, and would probably come visit sometime during the summer like always. Harry, his dad, and Dora were still going to go on some family vacations this summer, but not to anywhere that had anything to do with horcruxes.

The foreign students left the day before the end of term, and Fleur gave Harry another kiss on the cheek, and told him that she would write, and she was applying for jobs in the country. Maybe France would be a nice place to visit that summer. And maybe Harry would go send a letter before dinner, because it would take Hedwig some time to take it to France, probably. And then he would go pack most of his things in the tower to bring them down to the dungeon.

Harry didn't make it out of the door before running into his father, almost literally.

"Are you alright, Harry?" Harry's dad asked. He'd been asking that a lot since Harry had sort of died. His dad was taking it a lot harder than Harry was.

"Yeah, I'm fine, really. Not dead- no horcrux. No one- er- not as many people out to kill me- I'm really great, I swear."

"We can't be careless. Not all of the Death Eaters have been captured, and not every evil comes in Death Eater robes."

"I know," Harry said calmly. He did know. There were always people out to get him, but there were a lot of great people around him too. And Harry was really glad that no one had died trying to bring him back, even if a few Death Eaters did get away.

"You know I love you, don't you, Harry?" his dad asked, not uncomfortably like he would have been not so long ago.

"I know, Dad. I love you too."

"I would- never forgive myself if it had turned out any differently. I'm not sure how you can forgive me now."

Harry hugged his father tightly. He noticed for the first time how much he had grown in the last year. His father was still a good amount taller than him, but his father was a pretty tall man. "Because I was about to do it myself, and not that well. And I knew it would work. And… I'm sure if I died, Dora would take care of you even if you fought her over it constantly."

"She would. Merlin knows why," his father sighed, but looking up the inches still between them, Harry saw the wide smile on his father's face.

"I know why. It's easy to understand because I love you too."

 **A/N: Done! And, I will resist the urge to go full epilogue and tie up everyone's future, especially in a romantic way. EXCEPT for Severus and Dora, so I couldn't let this pass:**

Christmas morning, 1996- Harry's sixth year.

*****Harry*****

Harry tried to open his gifts with the same excitement he had when he was eleven, but really, he just wanted Dora to open his. From Harry's past experience, legal paperwork made a pretty good gift. His father was looking forward to it too, Harry knew, because he'd helped Harry get it started, even going to the Ministry with Harry, which Harry knew he hated.

"Mine next," Harry insisted, handing Dora the thick envelope when he couldn't wait any longer. He thought back to the first gift he'd given her, drawings, because Ron said that parents liked stuff like that.

"Oh Harry!" she shrieked, gently putting the unwrapped papers down and getting to her feet, hands outstretched.

Harry stepped into the hug. Harry intended no offense to his father, but Dora gave the best hugs.

"Oh, and you've made me cry," she said.

"Well, it doesn't really take much these days," Harry teased, but loved every moment of their hug.

"Don't you _dare_ make fun of the crying pregnant witch, Harry Potter Snape!" Dora chided, but she gripped even tighter. "You'll be such a good big brother, Harry. You'll have to teach her so much."

"Or _him_ ," Harry reminded again. They'd declined to find out the gender, which Harry knew his father had been supportive of at the time, but it was driving him mad now. Because Dora wouldn't let him perform any diagnostic charms on the baby, or he'd find it out. So as compromise, in addition to the regular visits with the auror healers, Dora visited Madame Pomfrey whenever Harry's father wanted, which meant she was the most frequent patient in the hospital wing that Hogwarts had ever seen, Madame Pomfrey claimed.

"She's definitely a girl," Dora maintained, trying to wipe her eyes with the hand still wrapped around Harry's neck- which wasn't really working when she had to reach up so much now.

"But you like my gift?" Harry asked, because he wanted to hear it even though he knew she did.

"It's the best gift I've ever gotten. Don't tell your father, because before this, it was his ring," she said, but she said it loud enough that Harry's father would obviously hear it. But he wouldn't mind. Most days now, Dora wore her engagement and wedding rings around her neck, because her fingers were too swollen from the baby. She could always shrink them… but usually she didn't. She played with her rings and wiped her eyes as she finally let Harry go. The large amethyst with little diamonds around it was Harry's favourite, and the plain wedding band next to it.

"So, does this mean I can call you 'Mum' now?" he asked. He'd given her the adoption papers, that she just needed to sign. He'd be seventeen in seven months, but it had been something he'd really wanted to do.

"Oh Harry, please!" Dora cried, and then she started really crying again, and hugging him again, this time more comfortably around his middle, head on his shoulder. "I love you so much."

"I love you too, Mum," Harry said. Because he did. She had been there for him since he was eleven years old, had made his life better than he could have possibly imagined. He had a dad, and now a mum, and friends, and a godfather, godbrother, new little brother or sister, teachers and… so many people who loved him. And that didn't make his first mum any less important, or James Potter either. There was just always room for more.

Harry's dad put an arm around his crying wife, the other arm around Harry. Because he didn't want to be left out of the hug. "And I love you too, Dad."

 **A/N: There, done! (And I do like to think that with Tom Riddle dead, Remus returns as the Defense teacher that stays). I so often wanted to tell you all that I always envisioned this story as going through four years, but I didn't want to spoil anything. Please, please review and tell me what you thought! Favouriting the story means even more! I won't mark this one as complete for a few days because I don't want to spoil it.**

 **I really wouldn't have stuck with this without you! I really hope you will check out my other stories, because I have loved your support there as well. I meant to stop writing for a while after I finished this, but I haven't been able stop. I've already written an alternate version of In My Life Again, and a different Draco/Hermione one-shot. I'm still hoping to find inspiration to write more to Are You My Father (my other Severus and Harry fic), but I haven't written much more of that yet. After that, I might be ready to put up a Draco/Ginny story that I've been working on lately.**


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